Emitie  Benson  Knipe 

ij 


3 


PEG  'O  THE  RING 


"So  Bee  and  Cousin  John  were  married" 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

H  fiDatt)  of  Benewoofc 


BY 

EMILIE  BENSON  KNIPE 

AND 

ALDEN  ARTHUR  KNIPE 

Authors  of  "The  Lucky  Sixpence,"  "Beatrice  of  Denewood,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

C.  M.  RELYEA 


NEW  YORK 
THE  CENTURY  CO. 

1919 


Copyright,  1914,  1915,  by 
THE  CENTURY  Co. 

Published,  September,  1915 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

i    A  LETTER  FROM  MT.  VERNON 3 

ii  LADY  WASHINGTON  TAKES  COMMAND    .     .     15 

in    BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 22 

iv  GREAT  CHIEF  !    GREAT  SQUAW  !   .     .     .     .40 

v    JACK  GOES  A-HUNTING 59 

vi    PEG  TURNS  TRAPPER 71 

vn    THE  EAGLET 77 

vni    MAGIC 91 

ix  AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY  ....  102 

x    OUT  OF  THE  FRYINGPAN 120 

xi    A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 132 

xii    INTO  THE  FIRE 153 

xin    AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 167 

xiv    MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 184 

xv    AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 199 

xvi    FRIEND  OR  FOE 218 

xvn    PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 232 

xvm    STOP  T'IEF 247 

xix  A  STOLEN  HORSE                                          .  262 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

xx  CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY 277 

xxi  AN  UNEXPECTED  RETURN 293 

xxii  A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 305 

xxin  A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 323 

xxiv  CROSS  PURPOSES 339 

xxv  A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 351 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

"So  Bee  and  Cousin  John  were  married"  .     Frontispiece 


PAGE 


"Nay!"  cried  Allan  McLane.     "This  is  the  knife!"     37 

Stretching  out  his  arm,  he  looked  at  Bee  and  Cousin 

John  standing  side  by  side 55 

"The  heart  of  the  Eaglet  is  one  with  the  heart  of 

Tiscoquam"         87 

"Are  they  found?"  I  cried 115 

"Nay,  there's  a  fortune  in  the  ring!"  protested  the 

old   man 135 

"For  the  moment,  I  could  neither  see  nor  speak"  .      .155 
"Where  are  you  taking  me?"  I  demanded     .      .     .   177 

"Nay,  be  not  so  short  with  a  man  who  would  do  you 

a  service,"  he  answered 211 

"It  is  Blundell !"  I  cried.     "Quick,  Monsieur !"     .      .  257 

"Oh,  Mis'  Mummer,  Ma'am!"  she  sobbed,  falling  at 

the  old  housekeeper's   feet 289 

"See,  Tiscoquam,  will  you  give  me  the  boy  in  ex- 
change for  this?" 301 

"And  now  may  I  proceed  upon  my  journey?"  he 

asked 315 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

In  a  moment  Bee  was  off  her  horse  and  we  were  in 

each  other's  arms 337 

"I  leaned  forward  to  do  his  bidding" 355 

Coming  towards  us,  we  made  out  Mark  Powell, — 
accompanied  by  Jacky 369 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

CHAPTER  I 

A   LETTER   FROM    MT.    VERNON 

"'T^HEN  they  '11  b-be  m-m-m-married  at  Dene- 
JL     wood  after  all,"  I  stuttered  in  my  excite- 
ment, breaking  in  upon  Mrs.  Mummer  as  she 
finished  Bee's  letter. 

"Aye,  that  they  will,  praise  be!"  she  replied 
heartily,  and  then  read  again  the  news  that  had 
gladdened  our  hearts. 

It  has  been  thought  best  not  to  have  the  wedding  at 
Mt.  Vernon  on  account  of  a  death  in  the  family;  but 
Lady  Washington  will  keep  me  in  countenance  at  Dene- 
wood.  His  Excellency  plans  to  be  in  Philadelphia  in  a 
fortnight  and  the  wedding  must  take  place  almost  at 
once. 

Mrs.  Mummer  bounced  out  of  her  chair,  all 
a-bustle. 

"In  a  fortnight !"  she  exclaimed.  "  'T  is  well 
J  'took  time  by  the  forelock/  as  Mummer  says, 

3 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

and  began  making  ready  against  their  coming." 
She  was  across  the  room,  hurrying  toward  the 
kitchens  ere  she  finished  speaking. 

"It 's  g-g-good  I  'm  here  to  h-h-help  you,"  I 
cried,  skipping  along  behind  her ;  but  in  my  eager- 
ness I  bumped  into  her,  for  she  had  stopped 
abruptly,  struck  by  a  new  thought. 

"And  what  of  her  plenishings,  child?"  she 
asked  in  dismay,  looking  at  me,  as  if  I  could  an- 
swer such  a  riddle. 

"C-c-can't  she  g-g-get  her  d-dresses  at 
M-M-Mt.  Vernon?"  I  suggested,  but  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer shook  her  head  emphatically. 

"Nay,  there  are  no  shops  there  to  supply  her 
fittingly,  and,  what 's  more,  her  outfit  will  be  the 
last  thing  Miss  Bee  will  be  thinking  of." 

"T-then  we  m-m-must  e'en  d-do  it  f-f-for 
her,"  I  declared.  "We  c-couldn't  have  Bee 
w-w-wedded  in  d-dimity." 

"That  we  could  n't,  Peggy  dear,"  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer agreed.  "I  wouldn't  have  her  dressed  in 
aught  but  what  was  most  elegant,  and  what  does 
an  old  housekeeper  like  me  know  of  fashions?" 

This  was  true  enough,  for  although  Mrs. 
Mummer  was  full  of  needle  wisdom,  she  had  no 

4 


A  LETTER  FROM  MT.  VERNON 

knowledge  of  the  latest  modes,  and  I  was  but  a 
child  of  nine  years,  who  could  be  of  little  help. 

"Beside,"  Mrs.  Mummer  went  on,  "with  all 
that  must  be  done,  'twixt  now  and  their  coming, 
I  shall  have  few  moments  to  spare  on  mantua- 
makers.  Yet  she  must  have  her  plenishings." 

"I  h-h-have  it,"  I  cried,  an  idea  popping  into 
my  head.  "W-w-we'll  send  for  P-Polly  and 
B-B-Betty.  They  kn-kn-know  naught  e-else 
b-but  what  is  f-f-fashionable." 

Mrs.  Mummer  clapped  her  hands  at  this  sug- 
gestion. 

"The  very  thing!"  she  exclaimed.  "As  Mum- 
mer says,  'All  creatures  have  their  use  in  this 
world;'  though  I  never  thought  to  seek  help  of 
those  two  girls,"  and  without  more  words  she 
went  to  the  great  desk  in  the  library. 

Laboriously,  with  her  quill  grasped  in  a  hand 
that  was  little  accustomed  to  it,  Mrs.  Mummer 
wrote  a  note  to  my  sisters,  summoning  them  from 
our  home  in  Haddonfield.  That  done,  she  hung 
up  her  pen  and  despatched  the  letter  immediately 
by  Charley  with  instructions  to  waste  no  time 
upon  the  road. 

"And  now  to  work !"  she  cried,  as  we  watched 

'5 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

the  black  boy  disappear  on  the  gallop;  "there  are 
a  thousand  things  to  be  set  to  rights  and  I  scarce 
know  where  to  begin." 

"T-there  's  the  w-w-wedding  c-c-cake,"  I  sug- 
gested wisely. 

"Aye,  I  must  get  at  that  soon,  and  it  shall  be 
such  a  cake  as  was  ne'er  seen  in  Germantown," 
declared  Mrs.  Mummer. 

"And  I  '11  h-h-help  seed  the  r-r-raisins !"  I  ex- 
claimed, dancing  about  ready  to  begin  on  the  in- 
stant. 

"Nay,  dearie,"  Mrs.  Mummer  returned  quite 
seriously,  "no  hand  but  mine  shall  touch  that 
cake  or  aught  that  goes  into  it." 

Though  I  protested  somewhat  at  this  decision 
of  Mrs.  Mummer's,  she  had  made  up  her  mind 
and  held  to  it,  so  that  until  the  great  day  I  never 
saw  the  wedding  cake.  Nevertheless  I  had  my 
fill  of  seeding  raisins ;  for  there  were  vast  quanti- 
ties of  different  cakes  and  sugared  cookies  baked, 
and  I  had  my  tasks  as  well  as  every  other  maid 
and  man  in  the  house. 

Inside  and  out,  Denewood  hummed  with  busy 
workers;  but  the  kitchens  were,  of  course,  the 
scene  of  the  greatest  activity ;  for  not  only  would 

6 


A  LETTER  FROM  MT.  VERNON 

there  be  a  vast  company  at  the  wedding  itself  but 
the  neighbors  for  miles  around  would  expect 
their  share  of  the  feast.  It  was  not  many  days 
before  all  the  cupboards  were  filled  with  pasties, 
fruit-pies,  and  dozens  of  other  good  things  that 
would  take  no  hurt  for  a  little  waiting. 

Polly  and  Betty  came  at  once,  all  a-twitter  over 
a  wedding  in  the  family,  and  monstrous  set  up  at 
having  so  important  a  part  in  the  preparations. 

Mrs.  Mummer  had  already  engaged  the  most 
famous  mantua-maker  in  Philadelphia  to  attend 
to  the  dressmaking,  and  this  woman  had  sent 
word  that,  as  luck  would  have  it,  the  fall  ships 
were  newly  arrived  from  Europe  with  cargoes  of 
fine  goods,  and  that  we  should  make  our  pur- 
chases at  once.  The  housekeeper  grudged  the 
time  she  must  lose  at  Denewood;  but  it  was 
too  good  an  opportunity  to  be  missed,  so  the  day 
after  my  sisters  came,  we  started  betimes  in  the 
great  family  chariot,  seeing  that  the  chaise  would 
scarce  hold  the  boxes  and  bundles  we  should  bring 
back  with  us. 

Mrs.  Mummer  had  another  errand  to  do  in  the 
city  of  which  she  made  something  of  a  mystery ; 
but  when  I  saw  her  slyly  disappear  into  the  shop 

7 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

of  Mr.  Twining,  the  silversmith,  I  guessed  that 
her  business  was  to  buy  the  thimble  and  ring  for 
the  wedding-cake.  But  I  said  naught  of  my 
idea  to  Betty  or  Polly,  who  seemed  vastly  curi- 
ous, although  they  thought  it  beneath  their  dig- 
nity to  show  it. 

It  was  a  most  exciting  day  to  me,  and  never  did 
I  know  before  that  there  could  be  so  many  differ- 
ent kinds  of  brocades,  satins,  laces,  fine  muslins, 
and  chintzes  as  I  saw  then.  Huge  boxes  and  bales 
of  dry  goods  were  piled  up  on  the  pavements  be- 
fore the  wholesale  stores,  situate  on  Front  Street 
between  Arch  and  Walnut,  and  from  whose  very 
doors  one  could  ofttimes  catch  glimpses  of  the 
great  ships  which  had  brought  these  cargoes  over- 
seas. Clerks  and  apprentices  were  busy  with 
sharp  knives  and  claw-hammers  ripping  open  the 
cases  and  carrying  the  stuffs  indoors  to  be  dis- 
played to  the  admiration  of  the  eager  retailers. 
Everywhere  men  and  women  were  haggling  over 
prices,  some  talking  loudly  and  saying  that  the 
goods  were  naught  but  shoddy,  though  after  long 
wrangling  they  bought,  a  fact  that  puzzled  me 
mightily. 

"B-Betty,"  I  whispered,  pulling  at  my  sister's 

8 


A  LETTER  FROM  MT.  VERNON 

cloak,  "  if  the  w-w-woman  1-likes  it  n-not, 
w-w-why  does  she  p-pay  eleven  g-good  g-guineas 
for  it?" 

"  Hush,  child,  don't  be  a  nizzy,"  she  answered ; 
'  't  is  all  in  the  way  of  business.  'T  would  never 
do  to  buy  without  cheapening  a  little." 

At  this  bargaining  Mrs.  Mummer  was  as  good 
as  the  best,  and  I  noted  that  in  the  end  she  mostly 
had  her  way;  but  she  bought  without  stint,  and 
when  at  last  we  were  'ready  to  return  to  Dene- 
wood  there  was  scarce  room  in  the  coach.  In- 
deed, so  full  was  it  of  bundles  that  when  the  steps 
were  folded  up  there  was  not  one  of  us  but  had 
something  in  her  lap  as  well  as  under  foot. 

I  was  a  little  disappointed  when  Mrs.  Mummer 
decided  that  Bee  should  wear  naught  more  gor- 
geous than  white  at  her  wedding.  I  would  have 
had  her  clad  in  yellow  satin  with  an  overskirt  of 
blue  mantua  or,  belike,  purple  velvet,  for  at  that 
age  I  had  a  gay  taste  in  colors;  but  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer chose  a  petticoat  of  white  satin  veiled  with 
silver  tissue  worked  with  silver  flowers,  and  an 
overdress  of  silver  brocade;  and,  though  I  mur- 
mured somewhat,  when  I  saw  the  high-heeled 
brocade  slippers  (for  which  she  said  she  had  dia- 

9 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

mond  buckles  in  the  Denewood  strong-box),  I 
felt  quite  reconciled  and  could  not  but  admit  it 
would  be  most  elegant  and  fashionable. 

For  the  bridesmaids,  Betty  and  Polly  had  their 
choice,  and  they  selected  a  peach  color  and  white 
changeable  mantua  with  lace,  that  would  be  be- 
coming to  all.  This  entirely  satisfied  me,  for 
heretofore  I  had  worn  but  the  simplest  of  mus- 
lins so  that  I  was  quite  set  up  at  the  thought  of 
Mistress  Margaret  Travers  in  such  elegancies. 

We  would  all  have  been  ready  to  lie  late  the 
next  morning,  but  this  in  no  wise  suited  Mrs. 
Mummer,  who  routed  us  out  ere  the  sun  had 
fairly  risen. 

"Up !  Up !"  she  cried,  coming  into  each  of  our 
rooms  in  turn.  "Up !  Up !  I  '11  have  no  slug-a- 
beds in  this  house.  The  time  is  all  too  short  for 
what  we  have  to  do."  And  so  began  another 
busy  day  with  no  rest  nor  shirking  till  all  was 
accomplished. 

As  the  fortnight  drew  to  a  close  I  was  impa- 
tient for  the  hour  to  come  when  I  should  see  my 
darling  Bee  again.  She,  too,  was  a  Travers,  but 
of  the  English  branch  of  the  family,  and  had  ar- 
rived in  America  just  at  the  beginning  of  our 

10 


A  LETTER  FROM  MT.  VERNON 

war  with  the  Mother  Country  five  years  before. 
She  had  come  a  stranger  to  a  strange  land,  but 
had  soon  won  all  hearts  by  her  courage  and  loy- 
alty to  the  home  of  her  adoption;  while  to  me, 
who  was  scarce  more  than  a  babe  when  first  we 
met  at  Denewood,  she  was  all  the  world. 

When  Mrs.  Mummer,  returning  alone  from 
Virginia,  brought  word  that  Cousin  John  Travers 
was  to  marry  with  Beatrice,  I  was  at  first  much 
surprised.  Soon,  however,  I  came  to  see  that 
this  was  the  nicest  thing  that  could  have  hap- 
pened and  felt  certain  that  a  lucky  sixpence  Bee 
had  brought  with  her  from  England  had  played 
its  part  in  bringing  it  about. 

No  wonder  that  I  could  not  sit  still  on  the  morn- 
ing of  their  coming.  Bill  Schmuck,  Cousin 
John's  body-servant,  had  arrived  the  evening  be- 
fore with  a  message  that  the  party  would  stay  the 
night  in  Philadelphia,  where  Mr.  Chew's  house 
had  been  put  at  their  disposal,  but  would  reach 
Germantown  early  the  following  day. 

And  at  last  they  came.  A  big  chariot  with 
four  horses  led  the  way,  General  Washington 
upon  the  one  hand  and  Cousin  John  upon  the 
other,  while  behind  them  were  Major  McLane, 

ii 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

my  brother  Bart,  Mark  Powell,  and  many  of  his 
Excellency's  train  whom  I  knew  not.  It  was  a 
gay  cavalcade,  but  I  saw  naught  save  the  great 
coach,  and  was  dancing  before  the  door  ere  the 
steps  were  let  down. 

"Bee !  Bee !"  I  cried,  and  in  a  moment  she  was 
out  and  had  me  in  her  arms,  hugging  me  tight. 

"My  own  little  Peg,"  she  whispered,  kissing 
me;  and  I  could  only  repeat,  "Bee!  Bee!  Bee!" 
again  and  again,  while  I  fair  sobbed  with  excite- 
ment. 

After  that  Bee  went  to  greet  Mrs.  Mummer 
and  to  say  a  word  to  the  servants  and  black  boys 
who  stood  about  grinning  with  delight  to  see  her 
back  again,  while  Cousin  John  picked  me  up  and 
kissed  me. 

"Y-you  d-d-don't  1-look  as  if  y-you  'd  b-b-been 
losted,"  I  told  him.  At  which  every  one  laughed, 
but  in  truth  he  looked  happier  than  I  had  ever 
seen  him. 

"Nay,  'tis  we  who  worried  about  him  who  are 
but  shadows,"  cried  Allen  McLane,  "and  we  get 
no  sympathy  for  it,"  he  added,  as  he  brought  his 
great  bulk  down  from  his  horse. 

I  wriggled  in  Cousin  John's  arms,  wishing  to 

12 


A  LETTER  FROM  MT.  VERNON 

go  to  Major  McLane,  who  was  a  particular  friend 
of  mine,  but  Cousin  John,  setting  me  on  the 
ground,  still  held  my  hand. 

"You  must  welcome  his  Excellency  and  Lady 
Washington,"  he  said,  for  in  my  excitement  I  had 
clean  forgot  our  distinguished  visitors. 

Holding  wide  my  petticoat  I  made  my  deepest 
curtsey  to  the  General,  and  he  in  his  turn  bowed 
low  to  me  as  he  might  have  to  a  great  lady,  for 
indeed  he  was  the  most  elegant  of  gentlemen. 
But  when  I  turned  to  salute  Madam  Washing- 
ton, who,  though  scarce  taller  than  I,  stood  very 
dignified  and  straight,  she  came  quickly  to  me. 

"Nay,  child,  this  would  be  more  suitable  than 
a  formal  scrape,"  and  with  that  she  kissed  me  on 
both  cheeks.  I  vow  it  was  easy  to  understand 
how  the  first  lady  in  the  land  had  won  all  hearts, 
but  I  was  too  surprised  even  to  stutter  a  reply. 

Then  I  was  free  to  greet  my  old  friends,  and 
Allen  McLane  set  me  on  his  shoulder  and  carried 
me  into  the  house  behind  the  others. 

Oh,  how  good  it  was  to  have  Bee  and  Cousin 
John  back  and  Denewood  full  of  people  again,  as 
in  the  old  days  before  the  war  had  come  so  close 
to  us.  And  what  a  gay  table  it  was  when  we  all 

13 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

sat  for  dinner;  Bee,  at  its  head,  in  spite  of  her 
protests  that  Cousin  John  should  have  that  honor. 

"Nay,  Bee,"  he  insisted ;  "  't  is  you  saved  Dene- 
wood  and  it  is  yours." 

And  so  with  his  Excellency  on  her  right  hand 
and  me  on  her  left,  Beatrice  Travers  once  more 
played  hostess  to  the  guests  of  Denewood. 

But  though  I  longed  to  have  her  to  myself  for 
a  minute  and  could  scarce  wait  for  all  the  ques- 
tions I  had  to  ask  her,  it  was  not  till  night  that 
Bee  and  I  were  alone  together.  She  slipped  into 
my  bed,  which  had  been  set  up  for  the  time  being 
in  the  day-nursery  next  her  room. 

"  Oh,  Peggy  dear,  it  wasn't  so  after  all !"  she 
whispered,  referring  to  the  past,  when  all  save 
she  and  I  had  believed  Cousin  John  dead.  For 
answer  I  kissed  her  and  snuggled  into  her  arms. 

"T-t-tell  me  all  a-about  it,  Bee,"  I  murmured, 
and  straightway  she  recounted  the  adventures 
that  had  befallen  her  since  she  had  left  Denewood 
many  weeks  before. 


14 


CHAPTER  II 

LADY   WASHINGTON    TAKES   COMMAND 

DIRECTLY  after  breakfast  next  morning 
the  men  went  away  in  attendance  upon 
General  Washington,  and  we  stood  for  a  moment 
in  the  portico  to  watch  them. 

'T-t-t  is  well  they  're  g-g-go,ne,"  I  said 
gravely,  to  Madam  Washington.  "W-w-we 
w-women  have  our  h-h-hands  full  w-w-without 
them."  Why  she  and  Bee  laughed  so  immoder- 
ate at  this  I  could  not  fathom,  for  to  my  mind  it 
was  no  jest.  The  tasks  still  before  us  seemed 
innumerable  when  one  remembered  that  on  the 
following  day  "at  candlelight,"  as  the  invitations 
read,  the  wedding  would  take  place. 

First  of  all  Bee's  plenishings  must  be  inspected. 
She  gladdened  Mrs.  Mummer's  heart  by  the  sur- 
prise and  delight  she  showed  in  all  her  finery, 
insisting  that  the  old  housekeeper  was  too  good 
to  her. 

"Nay,  Miss  Bee,  there  's  naught  this  house  af- 
15 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

fords  could  be  too  good,"  Mrs.  Mummer  replied, 
and  meant  every  word  of  it. 

When  the  wedding-dress  was  tried  on,  and  I 
saw  how  beautiful  Bee  looked  in  it,  I  was  recon- 
ciled to  the  choice  of  white.  Madam  Washing- 
ton, too,  was  most  complimentary,  declaring  the 
taste  was  perfect. 

"Indeed,  my  dear,  I  could  n't  fail  to  admire," 
she  said  to  Bee,  "seeing  that  't  is  most  similar  to 
the  choice  I  made  for  my  own  wedding." 

Bee  thanked  Polly  and  Betty  for  their  share  in 
the  work,  vowing  she  could  think  of  naught  that 
would  be  an  improvement,  which  pleased  my  sis- 
ters mightily ;  and  indeed  even  the  fit  of  the  gown 
was  well  nigh  perfect  and,  save  for  a  seam  or 
two  which  could  be  run  up  in  a  minute,  the  bridal 
outfit  was  complete  from  lace  veil  to  brocade  slip- 
pers. But  it  was  not  quite  finished  that  day,  for 
Mrs.  Mummer  saw  to  it  that  there  should  be  a  few 
stitches  to  set  on  the  morrow  as  't  is  well  known 
that  ill  luck  follows  if  the  wedding-gown  is  com- 
pleted ere  the  wedding  day. 

There  had  been  talk  of  having  the  ceremony  at 
Christ  Church  in  Philadelphia;  but,  rather  than 
take  the  long  ride  to  the  city,  it  was  finally  de- 

16 


LADY  WASHINGTON  IN  COMMAND 

cided  that  they  should  wed  at  Denewood,  which 
was  large  enough  to  accommodate  all  the  invited 
guests.  It  was  a  question,  however,  just  where 
the  bridal  party  should  stand  during  the  service. 

Polly  and  Betty  had  spoke  for  the  dining-room 
with  the  great  bow-window  at  one  end  as  the 
most  fitting  place,  and  Mrs.  Mummer  too  was  in- 
clined to  such  an  arrangement,  but  there  were 
objections  to  this,  and  the  drawing-room  being 
thought  too  small,  no  decision  so  far  had  been 
reached. 

When  the  subject  was  broached  anew,  Madam 
Washington  made  short  work  of  the  matter.  She 
marshaled  us  all  into  the  great  hall  and  pointed 
to  the  first  stair-landing  which  was  but  a  step  or 
two  up. 

"The  parson  shall  stand  there,"  she  declared. 
"We  will  place  some  growing  plants,  or  if  we  can 
do  no  better  at  this  time  of  the  year,  a  bank  of 
green  boughs  on  either  side.  'T  will  make  a  most 
tasteful  bower." 

"Aye,  that 's  true  enough,"  agreed  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer, though  she  still  shook  her  head  dubiously. 

"In  that  way,"  continued  Lady  Washington, 
"we  shall  gain  the  upper  gallery  for  guests  as  well 

17 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

as  the  hall  itself,  and  thus  we  can  accommodate 
more  than  in  the  drawing-room  and  still  have  the 
dining-room  free." 

"But,  Lady  Washington,  ma'am,"  said  Mrs. 
Mummer  anxiously,  "if  so  be  we  have  guests  in 
the  gallery,  how  will  Miss  Bee  ever  win  down 
the  stair  without  crushing  her  finery  ?" 

"She  must  not  come  down  those  stairs,"  Lady 
Washington  asserted  with  decision.  "  I  like  not 
to  look  at  a  woman  as  she  bobs  from  step  to  step, 
and  in  the  face  of  so  great  a  company  it  would  be 
most  awkwardish.  Nay,  she  shall  seek  her  maids 
in  the  dining-room  by  way  of  the  back  stairs. 
I  Ve  seen  such  before  lined  with  clean  sheets  to 
save  the  bride's  ruffles." 

"Now  that 's  well  thought  of,"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Mummer,  and  then,  with  a  little  toss  of  her  head, 
"but,  begging  your  Ladyship's  pardon,  there  will 
be  no  need  of  sheets.  My  back  stairs  are  as  white 
as  my  front." 

"Aye,  that  I  'm  well  assured  of,  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer," came  the  quick  reply.  "You  're  too  notable 
a  housewife  to  make  so  slovenly  an  expedient  nec- 
essary." 

18 


LADY  WASHINGTON  IN  COMMAND 

It  was  so  quickly  and  gracefully  done  that  Mrs. 
Mummer  glowed  at  the  compliment. 

"I  thank  your  Ladyship,"  she  murmured,  "and 
I  'm  sure  the  arrangements  you  have  suggested 
will  be  perfect." 

"Yes,  't  is  the  best  plan,  I  'm  certain,"  Madam 
Washington  went  on,  with  a  nod  and  a  smile  to 
us  all.  "Once  in  the  dining-room  the  great  doors 
may  be  set  wide,  the  bridesmaids  will  enter  the 
hall  in  front,  and  last  the  bride  herself,  with  eyes 
as  they  should  be,  modestly  cast  down,  leaning 
upon  his  Excellency's  arm."  For  General  Wash- 
ington was  to  stand  in  place  of  a  father  to  Bee, 
she  having  no  near  relatives  outside  of  England 
and  her  own  father  being  dead  since  she  was  a 
baby. 

So  it  was  agreed,  and  when  that  evening  we 
spoke  of  the  arrangements  to  General  Washing- 
ton, telling  him  how  his  lady  had  solved  our  diffi- 
culties, he  chuckled  thoughtfully  to  himself. 

"Eh,  now,  't  is  her  Ladyship  who  should  have 
been  the  General,"  he  declared,  with  pride. 
"  'T  is  a  most  suitable  arrangement.  I  like  well 
the  strategy  of  taking  the  guests  upon  the  flank, 

19 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

rather  than  braving  their  fire  from  the  front. 
What  say  you,  Mistress  Beatrice?" 

Bee  laughingly  assented,  but  truth  to  tell  she 
assented  to  everything  and  would  have  said, 
"Aye,"  had  they  wished  her  to  wed  in  the  kitchen. 

There  was  no  doubt  Bee  was  happy.  'Twas 
plain  to  all  who  saw  her,  but  now  and  then  I 
caught  a  wistful  look  in  her  face  as  if  perchance 
she  longed  for  something  she  could  in  no  wise  at- 
tain. 

I  taxed  her  with  it  that  night  as  she  sat  on  the 
edge  of  my  bed. 

"Nay,  now, -Peggy,"  she  protested,  "  'tis  your 
imagination.  I  'm  the  happiest  girl  in  America. 
Sure,  no  others  see  aught  else  in  my  face." 

"T-there  's  n-no  one  1-1-loves  you  as  I  d-d-do, 
Bee,"  I  answered.  "I  think  't  was  m-my 
h-h-heart  t-t-told  me." 

At  that  she  took  me  in  her  arms  and  held  me 
close. 

"  'T  is  not  that  I  'm  sad,  Peg,  dear,"  she  be- 
gan, "but — but  I  can't  help  thinking  now  and  then 
of  Granny,  and  of  Horace  and  Hal,  my  brothers, 
far  away  in  England.  They  don't  even  know 
yet  that  I  am  to  be  married  and — and  a  maid 

20 


LADY  WASHINGTON  IN  COMMAND 

can't  help  wishing  that  one  of  her  own  family 
was  by  upon  her  wedding-day." 

I  had  no  words  to  comfort  her.  Indeed  I 
scarce  understood,  seeing  that  her  brothers  could 
not  love  her  better  than  we  at  Denewood ;  but,  to 
show  my  sympathy,  I  nestled  close  to  her  and  so 
we  stayed  a  moment  or  two  in  silence. 

Then  I  said,  a  little  hurt,  perhaps : 

"Is  n't  a  c-c-cousin  a  p-p-piece  of  the  f-f-f  am- 
ily,  Bee?"  at  which  she  gave  a  low  laugh. 

"Your  old  Bee  is  an  ungrateful  girl,"  she  cried. 
"I  feel  ashamed  to  be  wishing  for  the  impossible 
when  I  have  so  much.  Let  us  speak  no  more  of 
it,"  and  a  little  later,  with  a  good-night  kiss,  she 
left  me. 


21 


CHAPTER  III 

BEE'S   WEDDING   CAKE 

I  AWOKE  next  morning  to  find  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer standing  at  my  bedside,  looking  down 
at  me  with  a  smile  upon  her  face. 

"Is  the  d-d-day  f-f-fair?"  I  asked  anxiously, 
for  it  had  looked  cloudy  the  night  before. 

"Aye,"  she  answered  contentedly.  'T  is  fair, 
and  'happy  is  the  bride  the  sun  shines  on/  as 
Mummer  says." 

But  I  wanted  to  see  for  myself,  so,  jumping  up, 
I  pattered  to  the  window  in  my  night-rail  to  look 
out.  The  sky  was  blue,  with  scarce  a  cloud  in  it, 
and  it  was  so  warm  and  sunny  that  it  seemed  like 
a  day  in  June  rather  than  early  December. 

"  'T  is  f-f-fine  enough  even  for  Bee's  w-w-wed- 
ding,"  I  stuttered,  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction. 

"  T  is  none  the  less  possible  to  catch  cold, 
walking  the  floors  in  bare  feet."  'T  was  Bee 
who  spoke,  and  we  turned  to  see  her  standing  in 
the  doorway,  dressed  in  her  striped  Persian 

22 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

morning  gown,  kenting  handkerchief  and  apron, 
just  as  if  she  were  not  to  be  wedded  that  very 
afternoon. 

"Oh,  Miss  Bee!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Mummer  in 
dismay,  "did  I  not  tell  you  to  lie  abed  till  you 
were  called?" 

"Aye,"  laughed  Bee,  running  across  the  room 
and  throwing  her  arms  about  the  old  housekeeper, 
"but  did  I  say  I  would  do  it?" 

"Nay,  do  not  blandish  me,"  retorted  Mrs. 
Mummer,  half  turning  away.  'T  is  a  good 
scolding  you  deserve." 

"  'T  is  Peg  should  be  scolded,"  answered  Bee, 
looking  down  at  me  with  pretended  severity. 
"Not  even  a  moccasin  upon  her  feet."  Then 
turning  to  Mrs.  Mummer,  "And  you  smiling  at 
her.  Think  you  I  want  a  bridesmaiden  with  a 
red  nose  ?" 

"Nay,  Bee,"  I  answered,  in  all  seriousness, 
"t-there  's  s-s-small  d-danger  of  t-t-that,  s-seeing 
that  m-m-my  n-nose  never  r-r-reddens  for  at 
1-least  two  d-d-days  when  I  have  the  s-s-s-snuf- 
fles."  Notwithstanding  I  hurried  to  clothe  my- 
self. 

"Make  yourself  fine,"  said  Bee,  watching  me. 
23 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Have  I  told  you  of  the  girls  at  Mt.  Vernon  who 
ventured  to  the  dinner-table  with  their  hair  in 
curl-papers  ?  In  the  midst  of  the  meal  we  heard 
a  party  of  French  officers  arriving,  and  they 
would  have  run  in  haste;  but  Lady  Washington 
bade  them  stay,  'What  is  good  enough  for  his 
Excellency  is  good  enough  for  any  one/  she 
said." 

"And  she  never  spoke  a  truer  word/'  declared 
Mrs.  Mummer  with  heat,  "though  't  is  in  my  mind 
you  but  told  the  tale  to  wean  me  from  the  subject 
of  your  resting." 

There  was  a  laugh  at  this,  but  Mrs.  Mummer 
was  not  to  be  put  off  and  still  insisted  that  Bee 
keep  to  her  room. 

"But,  please/'  Bee  pleaded,  "there  are  a  thou- 
sand things  to  be  done.  I  want  to  take  Lady 
Washington  her  chocolate,  I  want  to  arrange  the 
flowers,  I  want — " 

"Then  'want  must  be  your  master/  as  Mum- 
mer says,"  Mrs.  Mummer  interrupted.  "Nay, 
dearie,"  she  went  on,  her  voice  dropping  to  an 
imploring  tone,  "attend  upon  Madam  Washing- 
ton with  her  chocolate,  if  so  be  your  mind  is  set 
on  it,  but  leave  the  flowers  to  Miss  Betty  and 

24 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

Miss  Polly.  Sure  they  have  a  pretty  taste  in  such 
matters  and  for  the  rest,  trust  your  old  servant, 
Elizabeth  Mummer.  'T  would  break  my  heart  to 
see  you  a  jaded  bride  and  that 's  what  you  '11  be 
if  I  let  you  do  all  the  work  of  Denewood  this 


morn/' 


Most  of  the  day  I  was  busy,  scurrying  here  and 
there  upon  errands  for  Mrs.  Mummer,  and  was 
but  half  aware  of  the  many  arrivals  at  Dene- 
wood.  All  the  wedding-party  was  on  hand,  that 
I  knew,  and  the  Rev.  William  White  of  Christ 
Church,  who  was  to  read  the  service ;  for  the  rest 
I  had  little  concern,  though  once  or  twice  I  re- 
member running  into  Major  McLane,  who  would 
have  stopped  me,  vowing  I  was  forgetting  old 
friendships. 

It  must  have  been  nigh  time  for  me  to  be  put- 
ting on  my  own  finery  when  Mrs.  Mummer  sent 
me  off  with  a  message  for  the  head  gardener. 

"  T  is  the  last  of  your  duties  this  day,  Peggy 
dear,"  she  said,  patting  my  shoulder  lovingly; 
"indeed  I  know  not  how  I  should  have  fared  had 
you  not  been  here  to  help  me,"  and  with  that 
praise  in  my  ears  I  sped  quickly  to  do  her  bid- 
ding. 

25 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

On  my  way  back  I  was  tempted  by  a  glint  of 
red  in  the  wood  bordering  the  roadway,  and 
thinking  that  some  bright  leaves  might  add  to  the 
show  of  flowers,  which  were  none  too  plentiful 
at  that  season,  I  hurried  to  investigate.  I  was 
disappointed  with  what  I  found,  for  though  at  a 
distance  they  seemed  fresh  enough,  a  closer  in- 
spection showed  them  rusty  and  withered.  I  was 
about  to  go  back  to  the  house,  which  was  hidden 
by  the  trees  and  might  have  been  a  mile  away  for 
all  one  could  see,  when  a  hail  from  the  road  turned 
me  sharp  about.  And  there,  drawn  up,  was  a 
cart  half  filled  with  boxes.  The  driver  held  the 
reins  listlessly  as  a  tired  man  will,  looking  discon- 
solately at  his  jaded  horse,  while  between  us  stood 
a  young  man  fashionably  dressed,  albeit  very 
dusty. 

"Can  you  tell  me  if  there  is  a  place  called  Dene- 
wood  near  ?"  he  asked,  politely  enough. 

"W-w-why,  i-it  's  r-r-right  h-h-here,"  I  an- 
swered, stuttering  more  than  was  my  wont  be- 
cause I  addressed  a  stranger. 

"Right  here!"  he  exclaimed  joyfully.  "Now 
indeed  that  is  good  news.  I  thought  1 5d  never 
come  at  it."  Then  for  an  instant  he  looked  at 

26 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

me    quizzically.     "On    my    life    I    believe    't  is 
Peggy !"  he  burst  out  finally. 

Now  to  be  greeted  with  such  a  lack  of  cere- 
mony by  a  dusty  youth  off  the  road  did  not  suit 
my  taste,  and  I  made  as  if  to  leave  him. 
I     "Hold  on,"  he  cried,  vaulting  the  wall  and  step- 
ping before  me;  "you  are  Peg,  are  n't  you?" 

"I  w-w-waste  no  w-w-words  on  s-s-saucy 
c-c-c-chance-m-met  s-s-strangers,"  I  declared, 
with  my  nose  in  the  air  in  imitation  of  Bee's 
haughtiest  manner. 

"Your  pardon,"  he  murmured,  giving  me  the 
compliment  of  his  hat,  which  was  vastly  soothing 
to  my  dignity.  "I  'm  Hal  Travers,  Bee's  brother, 
just  arrived  out  of  England.  Has  n't  she  told 
you  of  me?  She  never  tired  talking  of  you." 

"You  Hal  Travers  ?"  I  nigh  shouted  in  my  de- 
light and  surprise.  "Oh !  I  'm  s-s-so  g-glad. 
You  're  just  in  t-time  for  the  w-w-wedding !" 

"The  wedding !"  he  exclaimed,  surprised  in  his 
turn.  "Whose  wedding?" 

"W-w-why  Bee's,  of  c-c-course,"  I  explained. 
"She  w-w-will  be  m-m-married  at  c-c-candle- 
light,  and  y-y-you  m-m-must  h-h-hurry." 

"Hold  on,"  he  remonstrated,  glum  on  the  in- 
27 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

stant.  "I  like  not  this  sudden  news  of  Bee's  mar- 
riage. She 's  a  great  heiress  since  her  cousin 
John  Travers  died  and  left  her  his  estate." 

"B-b-but  he  is  n't  d-d-dead,"  I  told  him.  "  T  is 
John  Travers  s-she  is  to  w-w-wed.  Now 
w-w-will  you  h-h-h-hurry  ?" 

Hal  was  for  hearing  more  of  the  wedding  and 
was  eager  with  a  hundred  questions,  but  I  knew 
there  was  no  time  to  be  lost  and  begged  him  to 
curb  his  curiosity.  Already  a  plan  to  surprise 
Bee  had  formed  in  my  mind. 

"Have  y-you  a  w-w-w-wedding  s-suit?"  I 
asked  anxiously. 

"Nay,  I  never  so  named  it,"  he  answered,  with 
a  glance  at  the  boxes  in  the  cart,  "but  I  have  a 
plum-colored  velvet  of  the  latest  cut  that  might 
serve,  if  the  affair  is  not  too  fashionable." 

"  T  will  e'en  h-have  to  d-d-do,"  I  told  him, 
"t- though  the  w-w- wedding  is  m-m-monstrous 
fashionable."  Then  having  instructed  the  carter 
how  to  find  the  entrance  a  hundred  yards  or  so 
down  the  road,  and  to  drive  to  the  stables  at  once, 
I  led  Hal  through  the  trees  to  the  back  of  the 
house. 

He  followed  me  obediently,  ready  to  enter  into 
28 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

my  plans,  and  I  was  sure  I  was  going  to  like  him 
for  his  own  sake  as  well  as  Bee's. 

I  sent  at  once  for  Bart,  who  came  promptly, 
dressed  in  his  parade  uniform  and  jangling  his 
sword  as  he  hurried.  He  looked  so  handsome  in 
his  blue  and  buff  that  I  was  very  proud  as  I  in- 
troduced them. 

"This  is  Bee's  brother  Hal,  just  out  of  Eng- 
land," I  explained,  but  I  was  not  in  the  least  pre- 
pared for  Bart's  cold  salutation  and  the  stiff  little 
bow  he  gave. 

'T  is  scarce  a  good  year  for  Britishers,"  he 
growled,  and  I  looked  for  a  resentful  answer 
from  Hal,  but  was  agreeably  surprised. 

"Sure  't  is  a  bad  policy  not  to  welcome  a  Brit- 
isher who  thinks  the  Colonies  have  the  right  of 
it  in  their  fight  with  the  King,"  he  said  easily,  hit- 
ting on  the  instant  the  cause  of  Bart's  ungracious- 
ness. 

"If  that 's  how  the  matter  stands,  you  're  thrice 
welcome !"  cried  Bart,  holding  out  a  hand  to  him. 
'T  is  an  explanation  I  Ve  had  to  make  many 
times  since  I  ventured  out  of  New  York,"  Hal 
laughed;  "which  seemed  strange  to  me,  seeing 
that  ere  I  left  London  it  was  out  of  style  to  side 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

with  the  Ministry  against  the  Colonies.  And 
after  this  battle  of  Yorktown  I  '11  wager  Charles 
Fox  looks  to  it  that  no  more  troops  are  sent 
against  you." 

"Now  that 's  right  good  news,"  exclaimed  Bart 
cordially,  "but,  I  warn  you,  we  like  not  the  word 
Colonies  here." 

'To  be  sure,"  Hal  replied,  apologetically;  "I 
was  forgetting.  You  are  the  independent  States 
of  America  now." 

"Aye,  now  and  henceforth,"  declared  Bart  sol- 
emnly. 

How  long  those  two  boys  might  have  talked 
their  politics  I  don't  know,  but  I  soon  showed 
them  there  were  more  important  matters  to  be 
considered. 

The  cart  had  arrived  by  this  time  with  Hal's 
boxes,  among  which  I  noted  a  huge  packing  case, 
which  seemed  strange  luggage  for  a  dandy,  but 
I  was  too  busy  explaining  my  plans  to  give  much 
thought  to  it.  Bart  was  to  take  Hal  to  his  room 
to  dress,  after  which  we  were  to  meet  near  the 
dining-room  door,  just  a  few  minutes  before  the 
ceremony.  This  being  understood,  I  ran  off  to 

30 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

make  ready,  scarce  able  to  contain  myself,  so  ex- 
cited was  I  at  the  prospect  before  me. 

Mrs.  Mummer  was  too  busy  with  Bee's  appar- 
eling to  note  how  long  I  had  been  upon  her  er- 
rand, and,  moreover,  Clarinda  was  to  help  me,  so 
my  absence  had  gone  unremarked. 

As  it  happened,  I  was  almost  late,  for  the 
music  had  begun  as  I  ran  down  the  stair  to  meet 
Hal  at  the  place  appointed.  He  was  there,  wait- 
ing unnoticed  among  so  many  strangers,  though 
in  truth  he  looked  elegant  enough  in  his  plum- 
colored  velvet  to  have  attracted  attention  at  any 
other  time. 

I  took  his  hand  and  led  him  to  the  dining-room 
where  the  bridal  party  was  already  assembled. 
As  I  opened  the  door  I  heard  Bee's  voice. 

"Where  is  Peg?"  she  asked.  "We  can't  start 
without  her." 

By  this  I  was  in  the  room  and,  still  holding 
Hal's  hand,  I  went  directly  to  her ;  but  it  was  the 
first  time  I  had  seen  her  fully  dressed  for  her 
wedding  and  she  looked  so  beautiful  in  her  white 
veil  that  I  forgot  everything  else  and  stood  dumb, 
staring  at  her,  and  she  in  turn,  astounded  at  the 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

sight  of  her  brother,  could  make  no  sound ;  while 
the  others,  seeing  that  something  unforeseen  had 
happened,  ceased  to  talk  and  so,  for  a  space,  there 
was  silence  in  the  room.  Then  I  found  my 
tongue. 

"  'T-t-t  is  the  w-w-wedding  g-gift  you 
w-w-wanted,  Bee,"  I  whispered,  and  at  that  every 
one  began  to  talk  again,  but  I  had  eyes  only  for 
the  bride. 

"Hal !"  she  cried,  taking  a  step  toward  him ;  "is 
it  really  you?" 

"Aye,"  he  answered,  "and  Granny  sends  her 
love  to  you,  as  does  Horrie." 

"And  they  're  well  ?"  asked  Bee,  a  little  anx- 
iously. 

''Never  better,"  he  answered. 

"I  'm  so  glad  you  're  here,"  she  murmured, 
"I  've  naught  left  to  wish  for !"  And  with  a 
nod  and  a  happy  smile  at  me,  she  stepped  back  to 
his  Excellency's  side,  for  it  was  high  time  we 
were  starting  and  further  greetings  had  to  wait. 

"Now,  Peggy,"  some  one  said,  putting  a  basket 
of  flowers  in  my  hand  and  setting  me  in  front. 
Then  the  doors  were  opened  and,  'mid  a  burst  of 
music,  I  led  the  bridal  party  out  of  the  room. 

32 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

There  was,  however,  another  surprise  in  store 
for  the  bride.  As  we  looked  into  the  great  hall, 
there,  hanging  on  the  wall  above  the  turn  of  the 
stair,  was  a  portrait  of  Bee,  so  like  her  that  it 
seemed  as  if  she  were  walking  to  meet  herself. 
This  was  a  picture  painted  by  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds when  Bee  was  in  England,  and  it  had  been 
in  the  huge  case  I  had  noted  among  Hal's  boxes. 
He  had  spoken  of  it  to  Bart,  who  forthwith  had 
it  unpacked  and  hung,  to  every  one's  delight. 
Had  Hal  planned  to  win  a  welcome  from  Cousin 
John  he  could  not  have  hit  upon  a  better  scheme, 
and  he  told  us  afterward  he  had  been  at  some 
•trouble  to  get  the  canvas  into  the  country  by  way 
of  Holland,  and  indeed,  had  only  succeeded 
through  the  help  of  an  uncle,  a  Mr.  Van  der  Heist. 

So  Bee  and  Cousin  John  were  married,  but 
memory  plays  us  queer  tricks,  and  from  the  time 
I  entered  the  hall  until  we  were  seated  at  dinner 
listening  to  toasts  to  the  bride  and  groom,  all  is 
vague. 

I  can  still  bring  back  Cousin  John,  who  faced 
us  as  we  entered,  with  eyes  for  none  but  Bee,  and 
beside  him  Allen  McLane,  standing  stiff  and 
straight  as  if  on  parade;  but  of  the  brilliant  as- 

33 


PEG  0'  [THE  RING 

semblage  of  gaily  dressed  ladies  and  gentlemen 
I  have  small  recollection. 

Perhaps  some  will  find  a  reason  for  my  remem- 
bering so  little  of  the  wedding  itself  in  that  I  was 
but  a  very  young  child,  though  I  thought  myself 
quite  grown  up.  The  truth  is,  once  the  service 
was  over,  my  whole  mind  centered  on  the  cutting 
of  the  cake,  and  that  operation  is  still  fresh  in  my 
memory  after  all  these  years. 

The  great  confection  was  set  at  the  top  of  the 
table  reserved  for  the  bridal  party,  and  never  be- 
fore or  since  did  I  see  so  monstrous  a  cake.  Mrs. 
Mummer  had  kept  her  word.  None  such  had 
ever  been  baked  in  Germantown. 

I  could  scarce  eat  for  keeping  my  eyes  upon  it, 
while  I  wondered  where  lay  the  ring,  the  thimble, 
and  the  silver  piece,  and  who  would  get  them. 
At  length,  after  what  seemed  like  hours  of  wait- 
ing, my  patience  gave  out. 

"Oh,  Bee,"  I  sighed,  "m-m-must  m-m-more 
h-h-healths  be  d-drunk  ?  S-s-sure  I  'd  think  you 
and  Cousin  John  w-w-would  be  the  h-h-healthiest 
p-p-people  in  the  world  a-a-already." 

"What  is  it  you  want,  dear?"  Bee  asked,  smil- 
ing and  leaning  toward  me. 

34 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

"Isn't  it  m-m-m-most  time  t-to  c-c-cut  the 
c-c-cake  ?"  I  implored,  and  as  if  I  had  given  a  sig- 
nal, every  one  at  the  table  seemed  to  cry,  "Cut  the 
cake!" 

But  before  it  could  be  done  Mrs.  Mummer  had 
to  be  called  to  point  out  the  portion  that  had  been 
reserved  for  the  bridal  party  and  in  which  the 
talismans  were  placed.  She  came  in,  looking 
very  important,  albeit  a  little  flustered  at  the  com- 
pliments paid  her  cookery,  and  having  shown  Bee 
where  to  cut,  she  stepped  back  to  watch,  remark- 
ing with  satisfaction, 

"There  's  not  a  maid  in  miles  but  will  dream 
of  her  true  love  to-night  on  a  bit  of  that  cake 
passed  through  the  wedding-ring." 

Bee  picked  up  the  huge  knife  used  to  carve  out 
great  barons  of  beef,  but  ere  she  set  to  work  Al- 
len McLane  stopped  her. 

"Nay,"  he  cried,  making  a  long  arm  and  pluck- 
ing Cousin  John's  sword  from  its  scabbard,  "this 
is  the  knife  for  a  soldier's  wife,"  and  he  brought 
it  to  her. 

Bee  took  it  with  a  smile  of  thanks,  held  it  aloft 
a  moment,  and  then  made  the  first  cut. 

Polly  and  Betty  my  sisters,  Sally  Wister, 
35 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

Fanny  Morris  and  Mary  Rawle,  the  other  brides- 
maidens,  were  served  first,  and  when  my  turn 
came  I  saw  that  Bee  skipped  a  slice ;  but  I  scarce 
heeded  that  fact  then,  for,  with  a  sinking  heart, 
I  heard  Sally  say  she  had  bit  on  something  hard. 

Alas  for  Sally!  It  was  the  thimble  she  had 
found,  dooming  her  to  spinsterhood ;  and  my  spir- 
its rose,  for  't  was  the  opposite  of  that  I  wished 
for. 

Then  Mary  Rawle  held  up  a  silver  thrippenny 
bit,  foretelling  riches  for  her;  and  still  I  hoped. 

But  just  as  I  was  about  to  bite  into  my  own 
slice,  Betty,  mantling  prettily,  showed  the  golden 
ring.  I  felt  myself  nigh  to  tears,  for  't  was  that 
I  had  longed  for ;  and  I  put  my  portion  down  un- 
tasted,  sore  disappointed. 

"Look  in  your  slice,  Peg,"  whispered  Bee. 
"I  'm  sure  I  felt  something  as  the  sword  cut 
through." 

"Nay,"  said  Mrs.  Mummer,  "  't  is  impossible. 
There  's  naught  else  in  it  save  good  plums." 

But,  made  hopeful  by  Bee's  words,  and  so 
scarce  heeding  Mrs.  Mummer,  I  picked  up  my 
cake  and  bit  into  it,  my  teeth  meeting  at  once  on 
metal. 

36 


"Nay!"  cried  Allan  McLane,  "This  is  the  knife!" 


BEE'S  WEDDING  CAKE 

In  a  moment  I  had  it  in  my  hand  and  was  stut- 
tering violently  in  my  excitement. 

"Oh,  Bee !"  I  cried.  "I  Ve  g-g-got  the  r-r-ring ! 
I  Ve  g-g-got  the  r-r-ring !" 

"Nonsense,  child,  how  could  that  be,  when 
Betty  has  it?"  asked  Polly. 

"H-hers  c-can't  be  the  r-r-right  one,"  I  main- 
tained stoutly,  holding  up  a  massive  jeweled  cir- 
cle on  my  outspread  pink  palm. 

"Now,  however  came  that  in  the  cake?"  cried 
Mrs.  Mummer,  eying  it  suspiciously,  and  her  as- 
tonished exclamation  brought  all  the  company 
about  my  chair. 

"Did  you  not  put  it  in,  Mrs.  Mummer?"  in- 
quired Cousin  John. 

"Nay,  Master  John,"  she  asserted,  "I  ne'er 
laid  eyes  on  it  before,  and,  what's  more,  no  hand 
but  mine  touched  aught  that  went  into  the 
dough." 

"Ho,  ho !"  laughed  Cousin  John,  "here  's  a  fine 
mystery.  How  came  that  ring  into  the  cake  ?" 

"And  what  meaning  hath  it  for  the  child?" 
asked  Mrs.  Mummer,  with  a  worried  shake  of 
her  head;  but  there  was  no  answer  to  either 
question. 

39 


CHAPTER  IV 
GREAT  CHIEF!    GREAT  SQUAW! 

THE  curious  ring  I  had  found  formed  the 
chief  topic  of  conversation  for  some  time 
after  its  discovery.  No  one  could  doubt  Mrs. 
Mummer,  who  vowed  again  and  again  that  she 
herself  had  prepared  all  that  went  into  her  won- 
derful cake,  reminding  me  of  the  fact  that  she 
had  even  refused  my  offer  to  seed  the  raisins. 

"  'T  is  nigh  witchcraft,"  she  declared.  "Ex- 
cept that  I  had  seen  it  with  my  own  eyes  I  could 
never  have  believed  it  possible." 

Nor  did  an  examination  of  the  ring  itself  bring 
the  mystery  any  nearer  solution.  Rather  was  it 
deepened,  for  't  was  no  common  ornament  such 
as  might  be  come  by  at  any  goldsmith's  shop.  A 
number  of  costly  jewels  were  set  into  the  wrought 
gold,  all  cut  in  an  odd  fashion  which  proclaimed 
their  antiquity. 

"  T  is  no  ordinary  ring,"  said  his  Excellency, 
40 


GREAT  CHIEF!  GREAT  SQUAW! 

General  Washington,  mounting  great  horn- 
rimmed spectacles,  through  which  he  examined 
it,  "and  I  should  say  that  he  who  had  it  last  lacked 
a  good  conscience,  since  he  parted  with  it  at  all." 

He  handed  it  to  Lady  Washington,  who,  with 
her  head  on  one  side,  regarded  it  curiously. 

"<La,  child,"  she  laughed,  handing  it  back  to 
me,  "if  the  device  upon  the  seal  has  any  worth, 
't  would  take  no  great  prophet  to  foretell  what 
will  come  of  it." 

"Is  it  not  a  savage?"  I  questioned,  gazing  at 
the  cutting  in  the  stone  on  the  top  of  the  circle. 

"Mayhap  some  have  called  him  that,"  she  an- 
swered gaily,  and  I  made  my  curtsey,  puzzling 
over  her  words. 

I  liked  the  sensation  the  ring  was  creating  and, 
childlike,  felt  very  important  over  all  the  notice 
being  taken  of  it;  but  it  was  too  large  to  fit  the 
thickest  of  my  slim  fingers,  and  not  to  be  able  to 
wear  it  would  be  a  sore  trial.  Bee,  however, 
brought  back  my  smiles  by  winding  yards  of  linen 
thread  about  the  under  side,  and  though  two  of 
the  stones  were  covered,  there  was  no  longer 
danger  of  its  slipping  off.  No  doubt  there  was 
many  a  smile  at  so  huge  a  ring  on  so  small  a 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

hand,  but  I  cared  naught  for  that,  being  assured 
that  it  looked  most  elegant  and  fashionable. 

Following  the  usual  custom,  Denewood  was 
filled  to  overflowing  for  the  next  two  weeks 
with  visitors  come  to  pay  their  respects  to  the 
bride  and  groom  and  drink  a  dish  of  tea.  In- 
deed, there  was  scarce  an  hour  in  the  day  -that 
Bee  was  not  receiving  compliments  from  the  la- 
dies upstairs,  while  Cousin  John  entertained  the 
gentlemen  in  the  library  below. 

Nor  were  all  the  dainties  served  to  those  who 
came  in  chariots.  The  back  of  the  house  was  as 
full  of  visitors  as  the  front.  From  miles  about 
the  country,  when  the  news  of  the  good  cheer  at 
Denewood  was  noised  abroad,  the  people  came 
to  be  fed  and  to  drink  a  health  to  the  master  and 
his  lady. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  a  small  band  of  In- 
dians were  occupying  the  shed  built  for  them 
along  the  west  wall  of  the  State  House  in  Phila- 
delphia, selling  baskets  and  moccasins  and  other 
nicknicks  skilfully  made  by  their  women-folk. 
Hearing  of  the  good  food  to  be  had  for  the  ask- 
ing in  Germantown,  the  men  set  out  for  the  feast, 
leaving  the  squaws  to  look  after  their  peddling. 

42 


GREAT  CHIEF!     GREAT  SQUAW! 

Arriving  at  Denewood  they  quickly  sought  the 
kitchens  and  squatted  in  the  brick-paved  court, 
wrapped  in  their  blankets. 

They  were  well  fed,  and  though  they  offered 
no  thanks  and  their  countenances  changed  not 
from  the  look  of  stolid  indifference  they  always 
wore,  't  was  plain  they  liked  their  treatment,  for 
having  gorged  themselves,  they  moved  to  the 
front  of  the  house,  where  they  gave  an  exhibi- 
tion of  their  skill  with  the  bow  and  arrow,  per- 
chance as  an  acknowledgment  of  their  entertain- 
ment. 

The  weather  was  still  warm  and  the  appearance 
of  the  Indians  brought  several  of  the  guests  out 
of  doors  to  watch  the  shooting.  Small  coins 
were  set  up  by  the  gentlemen  to  stimulate  the 
sport,  the  money  going  to  the  lucky  archer  who  hit 
the  mark. 

The  shouts  of  acclaim  at  each  winning  shot 
soon  brought  Bee  and  Cousin  John,  glad  mayhap 
of  a  relief  from  the  formalities  of  their  position, 
and  in  their  train  came  many  more,  among  whom 
were  Allen  McLane  and  Hal  Travers,  the  latter 
much  excited  at  the  sight  of  the  redskins. 

"Now  this  is  the  real  America !"  he  cried,  and 
43 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

straightway  took  a  leading  part  in  encouraging 
the  savages  to  greater  efforts. 

Doubtless  because  the  Indians  made  such  easy 
work  of  their  marksmanship  Hal  thought  it  a 
simple  matter  and  was  soon  for  having  a  try  at 
the  game  himself,  though  he  came  not  near  his 
target.  Then  one  or  two  of  the  other  gentlemen 
who  had  had  more  experience,  undertook  to  show 
him  how  the  trick  was  done  and  this  led  to  a  test 
of  skill  between  the  braves  and  several  of  our 
guests,  in  which  the  latter  were  invariably  the 
losers. 

One  would  think  that  this  did  not  greatly  mat- 
ter, seeing  that  it  was  but  natural  the  Indian  war- 
riors should  excel  in  the  use  of  their  own  weap- 
ons, but  experience  has  shown  that  the  moment  a 
savage  has  the  better  of  his  pale-face  brother  he 
straightway  becomes  arrogant  and  insulting,  both 
in  speech  and  manner. 

And  so  it  happened  upon  this  occasion.  At 
each  losing  shot  derisive  grunts  and  short  scorn- 
ful laughs  went  up  from  the  little  band,  who  be- 
gan to  strut  about,  showing  plainly  enough  their 
contempt  for  the  white  man. 

44 


GREAT  CHIEF!     GREAT  SQUAW! 

I  was  standing  beside  Allen  McLane,  who  I 
noticed  was  beginning  to  scowl. 

"I  like  this  not,"  he  muttered,  and  crossing  to 
Bee,  he  began  to  urge  Cousin  John  to  take  a  hand 
in  the  shooting. 

"Has  John  any  skill  with  the  bow  and  arrow  ?" 
asked  Bee,  much  surprised. 

"Aye,"  answered  Allen,  "he  's  better  than  any 
Indian  I  ever  saw." 

"  'T  is  but  a  matter  of  acquiring  the  knack 
when  one  is  young,"  said  Cousin  John  indiffer- 
ently. "Allen  himself  can  shoot  as  well  as  I." 

"Nay,  that  I  cannot,"  protested  the  Major, 
"and  you  know  it." 

"You  can  beat  any  of  these  fellows,"  declared 
John  positively,  "and  I  think  some  one  should  put 
them  in  their  place.  'T  was  a  foolish  thing  to 
start  a  match  with  them.  They  '11  be  insulting 
us  if  no  one  takes  them  down  a  peg." 

"  'T  is  what  I  've  been  thinking,"  Allen  an- 
swered him.  "They  're  a  dangerous  lot  to  trifle 
with." 

"But  surely  they  '11  do  us  no  harm,"  said  Bee, 
whose  experience  with  Indians  had  been  small. 

45 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Nay,  they  would  n't  dare  meddle  with  us," 
Cousin  John  assented.  "We  are  too  near  to  Phil- 
adelphia, but  in  the  country  where  settlers  are 
few,  such  incidents  as  this  give  the  savages  cour- 
age to  commit  all  sorts  of  outrages.  'T  is  never 
wise  to  let  them  go  away  thinking  they  have  the 
best  of  the  whites  at  anything." 

"And  can  Allen  beat  them?"  asked  Bee. 

"Aye,  that  he  can,  an  he  will,"  answered 
Cousin  John.  So,  because  he  thought  it  his  duty, 
Allen  McLane  was  persuaded  to  try  his  hand  with 
the  bow  and  arrow. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  the  pale-faces 
had  found  a  champion.  One  after  another  Allen 
beat  the  Indians.  First  for  the  distance  he  could 
shoot  an  arrow,  in  which  none  could  come  nigh 
his  mark,  and  then  at  aiming  at  a  shilling  placed 
twice  as  far  away  as  it  had  been  previously.  We 
cheered  him  again  and  again,  and  the  savages 
threw  down  their  bows  one  after  another  in  ac- 
knowledgment that  they  were  beaten. 

At  length,  when  we  thought  the  matter  at  an 
end,  Major  McLane  walked  back  to  rejoin  us; 
but,  just  as  he  came  up  to  Bee,  another  Indian, 
who  heretofore  had  taken  no  part  in  the  shooting 

46 


GREAT  CHIEF!  GREAT  SQUAW! 

but  had  sat  wrapped  in  his  blanket,  silent  and  to 
all  seeming  unheeding,  halted  him. 

"The  pale-face  shoots  well  against  such  as 
these,"  he  said  scornfully,  with  a  wave  of  his 
hand  toward  the  squatting  Indians.  His  tone 
was  insolent  and  I  saw  that  both  Cousin  John  and 
Allen  McLane  were  angry. 

"Would  you  lesson  me?"  demanded  the  latter  in 
a  challenging  tone. 

"Tiscoquam  shoots  not  at  silver  pieces  that 
shine  white  against  the  blackness  of  a  tree,"  an- 
swered the  Indian  defiantly.  "That  is  the  play  of 
women  and  papooses." 

"Then  we  '11  give  you  a  richer  though  a 
slighter  mark,"  cried  Cousin  John,  and  putting 
his  hand  into  his  pocket  he  brought  out  a  golden 
half- Joe.  This  he  placed  in  the  bark  of  a  tree,  at 
the  height  of  a  tall  man. 

"Now  choose  your  distance,"  he  said  to  the 
savage,  who,  though  he  was  not  wont  to  express 
aught  of  what  he  felt,  smiled  grimly. 

The  little  spot  of  yellow  showed  dimly  enough 
at  twenty  paces,  but  the  Indian,  with  one  sharp 
glance  at  it,  turned  his  back  and  walked  slowly 
away.  We  watched  him,  thinking  he  would  face 

47 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

about  at  each  step,  but  still  he  went  on,  until  he 
was  a  long  bow-shot  from  the  mark.  Here  he 
stopped  and  sticking  an  arrow  in  the  ground  at 
his  feet,  raised  his  head  and  faced  us. 

"Tiscoquam  shoots  from  here,"  he  called,  and 
the  other  Indians  grunted  and  edged  nearer,  while 
those  of  our  party  shook  their  heads  dubiously 
as  they  walked  to  the  point  he  had  marked. 

"Now  am  I  beaten,"  said  Allen  under  his 
breath.  "I  doubt  if  I  can  see  the  mark,  much  less 
hit  it." 

"He  has  yet  to  hit  it  himself,"  growled  Cousin 
John.  "  'T  is  but  effrontery,  yet  we  must  beat 
him  now." 

"Then  't  is  you  will  have  to  do  it,"  declared 
Allen. 

"Nay,  you  will  shoot  as  well  as  he,"  Cousin 
John  answered,  as  we  reached  the  spot  where  the 
brave  had  taken  his  stand. 

"But  you  cannot  see  the  gold,"  cried  Bee,  look- 
ing toward  the  tree  where  it  was  set;  then  she 
lifted  a  little  wreath  of  orange  blossoms  that 
crowned  her  head,  and  running  to  the  mark  hung 
the  white  circlet  about  the  small  coin. 

"There,"  she  panted,  as  she  ran  back  to  us, 
48 


GREAT  CHIEF!  GREAT  SQUAW! 

"there  is  gold  and  a  crown  for  the  winner.  May 
both  be  yours,  Allen,"  she  added  in  an  under- 
tone. 

Tiscoquam  still  held  his  slight  grin  of  insolence, 
but  entered  no  protest  at  Bee's  making  the  tar- 
get clearer.  With  a  proud  gesture  he  restrung 
his  bow,  and  carefully  choosing  an  arrow  from 
his  quiver  he  handed  both  to  Allen. 

'Take  the  best,  pale-face,"  he  said,  "  and  if  he 
hits  the  gold  Tiscoquam  will  call  him  brother  and 
no  child." 

"I  care  not  what  you  call  me,"  growled  Allen, 
as  he  took  the  bow  and  stepped  to  the  mark,  in 
no  wise  pleased  with  the  prospect. 

He  stood  for  a  moment,  glancing  along  the 
shaft  to  see  that  it  was  unwarped  and  balancing 
the  bow  in  his  hand,  while  his  audience  remained 
silent,  a  little  anxious  as  to  the  outcome.  And 
we  were  not  the  only  ones  who  realized  that  the 
contest  had  in  it  something  more  of  seriousness 
than  would  appear  upon  the  surface.  There 
were  two  sides  sharply  drawn  now,  and  each 
had  a  champion  who,  to  the  minds  of  the  red- 
skins at  least,  would  prove  the  prowess  of  his 
race. 

49 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

We  held  our  breaths  as  Allen  pulled  the  bow- 
string to  his  ear  and  let  fly  the  shaft.  We 
watched  its  flight  for  an  instant  and  then  a  little 
murmur  of  disappointment  went  up  from  the 
whites,  for  though  the  arrow  hit  the  tree  it  was 
a  good  two  inches  above  the  white  wreath. 

The  Indians  grunted  in  satisfaction,  and  Tisco- 
quam  took  the  bow,  his  head  held  high  and  his 
glance  meeting  Allen's  in  a  defiant  stare. 

"He  's  my  master,"  Allen  acknowledged,  as  he 
walked  up  to  us,  sore  disappointed  at  his  poor 
showing.  "You  '11  have  to  save  us,  Jack." 

"Nay,  I  'm  in  no  mind — "  began  Cousin  John, 
and  it  was  plain  to  be  seen  he  had  no  wish  to  push 
himself  forward,  but  Bee  interrupted  him. 

"You  '11  do  it  for  me,  dear,"  she  begged.  "  I  Ve 
never  seen  you  use  a  bow." 

"Anything  for  you,"  he  answered  quickly,  "but 
you  '11  not  ask  me  to  make  a  show  of  myself  should 
Tiscoquam  fail  to  hit  the  mark?" 

We  had  not  long  to  wait.  The  tall  Indian, 
easy  of  movement  and  as  graceful  as  a  wild  ani- 
mal, chose  his  arrow  and  stepped  lithely  to  the 
spot,  with  an  assurance  that  showed  how  confi- 
dent he  was.  Taking  careful  aim  he  loosed  the 


GREAT  CHIEF!  GREAT  SQUAW! 

feathered  wood  upon  its  way.  True  to  its  mark 
it  sped,  hitting  fairly  in  the  center  of  the  wreath, 
and  the  gold  coin  leaped  in  the  air  and  fell  at  the 
foot  of  the  tree,  while  the  arrow  remained  trem- 
bling in  the  trunk. 

"Bravo!"  came  the  cry,  for  it  was  such  an  ex- 
hibition as  drew  the  admiration  of  all  who  saw  it, 
and  though  it  seemed  our  side  was  beaten  we 
could  not  hold  back  a  cheer. 

One  of  the  black  boys  who  had  been  looking 
on  ran  to  the  target  and,  picking  up  the  gold  piece, 
brought  it  to  Bee. 

She  took  it  and  with  a  kindly  smile  went  to  Tis- 
coquam,  who  stood  proudly  alone,  scornful  of  the 
applause. 

"The  gold  is  yours,  Tiscoquam,"  she  said,  hold- 
ing the  scarred  coin  out  to  him.  'T  was  a  fine 
shot  and  you  have  won  your  reward  fairly.  But 
there  is  another  who  can  bend  the  bow  and  who 
would  match  you,  not  for  gold  but  for  the  gar- 
land. Will  you  shoot  with  him?" 

Tiscoquam  looked  at  her  for  a  moment  without 
speaking  or  making  any  move  to  take  the  gold 
piece,  then,  shaking  his  head,  he  stepped  back  a 
pace  from  her. 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Who  dares  shoot  an  arrow  against  Tisco- 
quam?"  he  demanded. 

"My  husband,"  said  Bee,  softly,  and  it  was  the 
first  time  I  had  heard  her  use  that  word. 

"Let  him  come,"  replied  the  brave.  "If  he 
can  win  the  wreath,  then  is  he  worthy  to  be 
wedded  to  such  a  mate." 

At  this  Cousin  John  stepped  up  to  them. 

"Come,  Tiscoquam,"  he  said  shortly.  "Give 
me  your  bow.  I  '11  shoot  you  for  the  wreath." 

"At  what  mark?"  asked  the  Indian. 

"The  arrow  in  the  center  of  it!"  cried  John. 
"The  one  who  splits  it  shall  keep  the  garland." 

"Good,"  grunted  Tiscoquam ;  "shoot  first,"  and 
Cousin  John  stepped  to  the  mark. 

With  scarce  a  moment's  aim  his  bow-string 
twanged,  and  with  a  splintering  of  the  wood, 
Tiscoquam's  shaft  was  split  and  in  its  place  was 
the  one  Cousin  John  had  loosed.  The  wreath, 
shaken  from  its  fastening  by  the  jar,  fell  down 
and  hung  swaying  from  the  arrow. 

Here  indeed  was  one  who  could  shoot  straight. 

In  a  moment  the  whole  scene  was  changed. 
Tiscoquam  had  been  applauded,  but  only  in  a 

52 


GREAT  CHIEF!    GREAT  SQUAW! 

spirit  of  fair  play.  Now  that  our  own  side  had 
won,  we  cheered  with  a  will. 

Cousin  John  handed  back  the  bow  to  Tisco- 
quam,  saying, 

"Split  my  arrow  now,  and  so  on  till  one  or  other 
of  us  misses."  But  the  warrior  shook  his  head. 

"The  wreath  is  won,"  he  said;  "another  mark 
must  serve." 

Forthwith  he  cut  a  long,  thin  sapling  with  his 
hunting-knife,  and,  peeling  off  the  bark  till  it 
looked  like  a  silver  wand,  he  stuck  it  in  the 
ground,  set  it  swaying  and  returned  to  the  mark. 

"See!"  he  cried,  and  scarce  taking  any  more 
aim  than  had  Cousin  John  he  split  it  neatly  in 
halves. 

"Tiscbquam  will  set  another  mark,"  he  volun- 
teered, starting  off,  but  Cousin  John  called  him 
back. 

"Nay,  do  not  trouble,"  he  said,  indicating  half 
of  the  stick  that  still  waved  in  the  breeze ;  "there 
is  mark  enough,"  and  in  another  moment  he  had 
split  the  half,  while  all  about  him  sounded  cheers 
and  exclamations  of  wonder. 

But  Tiscoquam  was  not  to  be  outdone,  and  set- 
53 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

ting  up  the  fallen  half  he  too  divided  it  equally 
and  was  on  even  terms  with  Cousin  John. 
Neither  had  yet  won  an  advantage,  for  though 
Tiscoquam  had  not  shattered  an  arrow,  to  hit  the 
moving  wand  was  a  more  difficult  feat. 

Then  Cousin  John  sent  one  of  the  boys  for  two 
apples  and  when  the  lad  brought  them  he  handed 
the  smaller  of  them  to  Allen  McLane  to  toss  into 
the  air. 

"Can  you  hit  it?"  demanded  Allen,  filled  with 
amazement. 

"I  could  once  upon  a  time,"  answered  Cousin 
John,  "and  I  do  not  seem  to  have  lost  the  knack 
of  it  yet.  Throw  it  up." 

All  stood  astounded  when  it  became  evident 
what  he  was  attempting  to  do,  and  in  breathless 
silence  we  watched  him  give  the  signal.  With 
bow-string  taut,  he  aimed  but  an  instant  and, 
as  the  apple  reached  its  highest  point,  and  seemed 
to  hang  in  the  air,  he  loosed  the  arrow  which 
pierced  the  target  through  the  center. 

So  loud  was  the  cheering  and  so  great  the  ex- 
citement that  for  the  moment  naught  could  be 
heard  but  cries  of  "Bravo!"  "Well  shot!"  and 
the  like.  Allen  McLane  would  have  hugged 

54 


Stretching  out  his  arm,  he  looked  at  Bee  and  Cousin  John 
standing  side  by  side 


GREAT  CHIEF!  GREAT  SQUAW! 

Cousin  John,  I  am  sure,  if  it  had  not  been  that  he 
cared  not  to  show  the  Indian  that  any  particular 
exploit  had  been  performed. 

Cousin  John  held  out  the  other  apple  to  Tis- 
coquam  but  the  brave  refused  it,  and  then,  with  a 
dramatic  gesture,  he  unstrung  his  bow,  acknowl- 
edging defeat.  With  a  glance  at  Bee  he  strode 
to  where  the  wreath  was  still  hanging,  and  pluck- 
ing it  from  off  the  arrow  came  swiftly  back  to 
her. 

"Tiscoquam  is  beaten,"  he  said.  "His  bow  is 
broken  and  trailed  in  the  dust.  But  not  in  shame. 
His  pale-face  brother  would  be  a  match  for  the 
mightiest  warrior."  Then  turning  to  Cousin 
John  he  handed  him  the  wreath.  "The  prize 
goes  to  the  young  Eagle !"  he  cried. 

"Nay,"  exclaimed  Bee,  "there  are  two  prizes!" 
and  once  more  she  held  out  the  gold  piece  to  the 
Indian.  This  time  he  took  it. 

"Till  Tiscoquam  goes  to  the  Hills  of  the 
Mighty  Men  this  lies  on  his  breast,"  he  declared. 
Then  stretching  out  his  arm  he  looked  at  Bee  and 
Cousin  John  standing  side  by  side.  "Great 
Chief!"  he  announced  in  a  loud  voice,  pointing 
to  Cousin  John,  and  then  to  Bee,  "Great  Squaw !" 

57 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

and  in  the  silence  following  his  words  he  stayed 
for  an  instant  looking  at  them,  standing  very  stiff 
and  straight  with  his  hand  held  high  above  his 
head,  then  swiftly  he  turned  and  disappeared  into 
the  woods  near  us. 

So  impressive  was  the  warrior's  manner  that 
for  a  moment  no  one  spoke,  then  there  was  a 
general  laugh  and  for  many  days  thereafter  it 
was  a  joke  among  us  to  call  the  two  "Great  Chief 
and  Great  Squaw,"  but  it  was  no  jest  to  Tisco- 
quam,  as  we  were  to  learn  in  after  years. 


CHAPTER  V 

JACKY  GOES  A-HUNTING 

IS  a  long  road  that  hath  no  turning,"  as 
Mummer  says,  though  to  be  sure  I  have  sel- 
dom heard  him  speak  so  long  a  sentence,  he  be- 
ing a  very  silent  man;  but  Mrs.  Mummer  hath 
ever  some  such  wise  saw  of  his  upon  her  tongue 
and  't  is  a  fitting  beginning  for  an  account  of  the 
events  which  took  place  during  the  six  years  fol- 
lowing Bee's  wedding. 

Strangely  enough  the  prophecies  of  the  bridal 
cake  came  true.  Sally  Wister  who  found  the 
thimble  was  still  a  maid,  and  Betty  had  been  the 
first  to  wed.  She  married  Hal  Travers,  and  they 
were  settled  in  a  pretty  spot  on  Chestnut  Hill  not 
far  from  us.  Hal's  brother,  Sir  Horace,  had 
treated  him  handsomely  and  Cousin  John,  too, 
had  a  hand  in  setting  him  up,  so  that  he  and  his 
wife  lacked  for  nothing,  and  if  they  took  life  not 
too  seriously,  they  nevertheless  had  many  friends 

59 


and  were  greatly  sought  after  for  all  social  af- 
fairs. 

'T  will  be  hard  to  credit  I  know,  but  Polly,  my 
oldest  sister,  who  had  vowed  again  and  again 
that  she  would  ne'er  wed  with  a  "country  lout," 
as  she  called  our  soldiers,  married  Mark  Powell, 
a  young  man  who  had  won  a  commission  by  merit 
alone.  When  I  think  of  her  making  eyes  at  the 
Marquis  de  Lafayette  and  of  her  silly  flirtations 
with  every  titled  gentleman  she  met,  't  is  scarce 
to  be  believed  that  she  had  the  good  sense  to 
choose  Mark  in  the  end;  but  it  is  true  that  she 
did,  and  I  have  to  confess  that  I  liked  her  more 
the  day  she  brought  me  the  news  than  ever  I 
had  before.  'T  was  not  the  same  Polly,  and  to 
my  thinking  the  change  was  for  the  better. 

Bart,  my  brother,  was  yet  unwed.  He  grieved 
secretly  I  think  that  peace  had  been  declared  and 
was  ever  hopeful  that  another  war  might  break 
out.  He  lived  at  Haddonfield  with  my  father,  al- 
ways holding  himself  in  readiness  to  be  the  first 
to  enlist  should  the  need  arise. 

For  myself,  what  I  wished  for  most  had  come 
to  pass.  I  was  still  at  Denewood  with  my  darling 
Bee,  proud  to  be  "Aunty  Peg"  to  her  three  chil- 

60 


JACKY  GOES  A-HUNTING 

dren.  Being  myself  motherless,  as  she  was,  my 
own  home  in  Haddonfield,  in  the  Jerseys,  had  been 
somewhat  cheerless,  through  no  one's  fault  ex- 
actly. Polly  and  Betty  were  much  older,  and 
Bart  thought  himself  too  much  of  a  man  to  take 
any  notice  of  the  baby  of  the  family.  Father 
was  good  and  kind  when  I  saw  him,  but  he  was 
away  on  business  much  of  the  time  so  that  I  was 
ever  lonely. 

From  the  first  I  had  loved  Bee,  who  had  taken 
me  to  her  heart,  and  the  thought  of  leaving  her 
was  more  than  I  could  bear.  Yet  when  the  dan- 
ger from  the  British  troops  was  at  an  end  the 
necessity  which  had  brought  us  all  to  Denewood 
was  over  and  I  lived  in  dread  that  I  should  be 
summoned  again  to  my  home. 

But  when  peace  with  England  was  finally  de- 
clared my  father  married  again.  This  altered 
the  situation,  and  Bee's  pleas,  coupled  with  my 
own  and  Cousin  John's  urging  that  I  should  stay, 
finally  won  father  to  our  way  of  thinking. 

So  it  came  about,  as  I  had  wished,  that  I  was 
permanently  a  member  of  the  household  at  Dene- 
wood. 

The  six  years  passed  did  not  seem  to  have  made 
61 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

any  of  its  members  older.  To  be  sure,  Mrs. 
Mummer  complained  .now  and  then  of  a  crook  in 
her  back,  and  Mummer  looked,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible, a  little  more  withered,  but  all  the  servants 
we  had  known  in  our  childhood  were  still  there 
and,  bond  or  free,  nothing  would  have  induced 
any  of  them  to  leave  the  family. 

Our  one  mystery  was  yet  unsolved.  How  my 
ring  had  found  its  way  into  the  bridal  cake  re- 
mained unexplained.  We  had  wondered  and 
puzzled  over  it  for  weeks,  expecting  that  sooner 
or  later  so  valuable  a  trinket  would  be  sought  for, 
but  no  one  had  come  to  claim  it,  and,  as  the 
years  went  by,  we  had  ceased  to  think  much 
about  it. 

I  wore  it  always,  albeit  my  finger  had  not 
grown  to  fit  it,  so  that  it  was  still  wrapped  to  keep 
it  from  slipping  off,  but  I  was  monstrous  proud 
of  it  and  made  a  point  of  stamping  the  sealing 
wax  on  my  letters  with  the  device  cut  into  the 
stone. 

So  there  I  was  in  my  sixteenth  year  with  Bee 
and  Cousin  John  and  the  three  children,  lack- 
ing naught  to  make  me  happy  and  quite  content 
to  end  my  days  with  those  I  loved  best  on  earth. 

62 


JACKY  GOES  A-HUNTING 

Truly  so   far  the  road  had  been  smooth  and 
straight. 

One  morning  in  the  early  spring,  just  as  we 
were  finishing  breakfast  and  I  had  wiped  the 
milk  from  little  Majory's  lips,  Cousin  John 
jumped  up  from  the  table  with  the  announcement 
that  he  would  not  be  home  till  late  that  night  and 
that  no  one  was  to  wait  up  for  him. 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Bee,  as  if  she  had  just  remem- 
bered something,  "  't  is  the  day  you  entertain  the 
Indians." 

"That 's  it,"  replied  Cousin  John,  "and  to  tell 
the  truth  I  'd  a  deal  rather  be  at  home.  But  it 
has  been  thought  advisable  to  smoke  a  pipe  of 
peace  with  them.  So  our  society,  the  Sons  of 
St.  Tammany,  has  invited  them  to  a  pow-wow  at 
our  wigwam  near  the  Indian  Queen  Tavern." 

"Now  what 's  all  this  about  ?"  I  asked,  seeing 
little  Jack's  eyes  grow  big  at  the  word  Indian. 

"There  is  a  party  of  Iroquois,  headed  by  Corn- 
planter  and  five  other  chiefs,  on  their  way  to 
New  York,"  Cousin  John  explained.  "They  have 
certain  matters  to  lay  before  Congress  and  we 
want  them  to  be  in  a  good  humor  when  they  get 
there." 

63 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"I  'm  going  to  see  the  Indians,"  declared 
Jacky,  getting  up  from  the  table  and  standing 
beside  his  father,  as  if  indeed  he  meant  to  start 
that  instant. 

"I  wonder  you  have  no  curiosity  about  them," 
Cousin  John  went  on.  "It  will  be  a  vastly  cere- 
monious affair  with  a  salute  of  thirteen  guns,  and 
the  warriors  will  dance  around  the  council  fire  by 
way  of  returning  the  compliment.  Then  there 
will  be  a  barbecue,  and  taking  it  altogether  it 
will  be  a  sight  worth  seeing.  There  will  be 
plenty  of  spectators.  I  Ve  a  mind  to  take  the 
boy." 

"Mercy  me,  Miss  Bee!"  cried  Mrs.  Mummer, 
who  had  never  abandoned  that  loved  form  of  ad- 
dress, "you  '11  never  let  him  do  it,  dearie," — and 
then,  to  Cousin  John,  "When  have  you  ever  had 
the  care  of  the  child  for  the  whole  day,  Master 
John  ?  'T  is  a  foolish  man  who  bites  off  more 
than  he  can  chew/  as  Mummer  would  tell  you. 
Please  have  that  in  mind  ere  you  talk  of  taking 
the  boy  a  dozen  miles  from  us." 

"Nay,  now,"  Jacky  put  in,  "I  want  to  see  the 
Indians.  Perchance  they  will  let  me  go  with  them 
to  shoot  a  deer." 

64 


JACKY  GOES  A-HUNTING 

"And  who  will  look  after  me  while  Dada  is 
away?"  asked  Bee  with  a  loving  smile  at  him. 

'There  's  Aunty  Peg,"  he  replied  on  the  in- 
stant. He  was  but  five,  but  as  Mrs.  Mummer 
said,  quoting  her  husband  as  usual,  "He  'd  ne'er 
swing  for  the  want  of  a  tongue." 

But  his  father  liked  not  his  answer. 

"Nay,  Jacky,  my  boy,  that 's  no  way  for  a  man 
to  talk,"  he  said  seriously.  'T  is  your  place  and 
mine  to  take  care  of  your  mother  and  sister,  and 
not  put  it  off  on  Aunt  Peg  or  any  one  else." 

"There  's  Allen,"  said  Jacky,  with  a  sly  glance 
up  at  his  father,  referring  to  his  brother  who  was 
but  a  scant  twelve-month  old. 

Mrs.  Mummer  turned  away  to  hide  a  smile  and 
't  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  a  straight  face. 

"He  '11  help  when  he  grows  up,  never  fear," 
declared  Cousin  John,  "but  until  he  does  we  must 
not  shirk,  and,  since  I  must  go,  't  will  be  best  that 
you  stay." 

Jacky  drooped  a  lip  but  he  was  too  wise  to  cry 
before  his  father,  and  Mrs.  Mummer,  seeing  his 
disappointment  and  doubtless  feeling  that  it  was 
all  her  fault,  took  him  off  to  the  pantry  where  he 
was  soon  made  merry  again. 

65 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Perhaps  Peg  would  like  to  see  the  savages," 
Bee  suggested,  but  I  shook  my  head. 

"Nay,  I  '11  stay  home  with  the  other  children," 
I  said,  though  in  truth  I  should  have  been  glad  to 
go  had  Bee  been  inclined  that  way. 

"Come,  Peg.  Why  not?"  Cousin  John  in- 
sisted. "Hal  and  Betty  can  look  out  for  you. 
I  '11  send  them  word." 

"Thanks,  Cousin  John,"  I  answered,  "but  I  'd 
rather  stay  at  home." 

"I  might  have  known  you  'd  ne'er  stir  with- 
out Bee,"  he  said  with  a  laugh,  for  he  was  always 
teasing  me  with  being  tied  to  her  apron-string. 

"Nay,  some  day  I  '11  run  off  and  surprise  you," 
I  retorted,  and  left  the  dining-room  to  take  up 
my  daily  tasks. 

Perhaps  my  own  interest  in  the  Indian  recep- 
tion made  me  sympathetic  with  Jacky  in  his  dis- 
appointment; but  however  it  was,  when  my  du- 
ties were  finished  I  went  off  to  find  him,  thinking 
we  would  walk  to  the  woods  and  pick  some  of  the 
wild  flowers  that  were  just  springing  up. 

Now  with  a  view  to  making  the  boy  manly, 
Cousin  John  had  given  him  free  rein  to  roam 
around  about  the  Denewood  estate  so  long  as  he 

66 


JACKY  GOES  A-HUNTING 

remained  within  certain  known  bounds.  It  was 
a  wide  territory,  but  Jacky  had  his  favorite 
haunts  and  these  I  visited  first,  failing,  however, 
to  find  him.  There  was  one  grassy  glade  through 
which  a  tiny  brook  wound  its  way  that  I  had 
not  yet  explored,  and  quickening  my  pace,  for 
I  felt  a  sudden  anxiety,  I  hurried  to  the  extreme 
limit  of  Jacky's  boundary. 

On  my  way  I  met  one  of  the  negro  laborers 
and  stopped  him  for  news  of  the  boy. 

"No,  Missy,  I  ain't  done  seen  little  Massa,"  he 
answered,  in  reply  to  my  question.  "I  ain't  seen 
nobody  'ceptin'  't  is  a  Injun." 

"An  Indian!"  I  echoed.  "Where?  What 
kind  of  an  Indian?" 

"Oh,  he  was  jes'  a  common  Injun,  Missy,  goin' 
to  the  barbecue,"  he  answered  plaintively.  "I 
knows  a  black  boy  wishes  he  was  agwine." 

I  went  on  more  rapidly  after  this,  a  little  fright- 
ened though  I  knew  not  why,  and  as  I  came  to 
the  edge  of  the  forest  bordering  the  road,  Hal 
Travers  galloped  by. 

I  hailed  him  and  he  turned  back  to  where  I 
was  standing. 

"Have  you  seen  anything  of  little  Jack?"  I 
67 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

asked,  showing  none  of  my  anxiety,  for  I  wished 
not  that  Bee  should  be  alarmed  and  I  knew  Hal 
well  enough  to  be  assured  that  he  would  make  a 
mountain  out  of  a  molehill  if  given  half  a  chance. 

"Aye,  that  I  did,"  he  answered  readily.  "He 
ran  out  of  the  edge  of  the  woods  near  the  great 
oak.  He  wanted  to  know  where  I  was  going  and 
when  I  told  him  I  was  on  my  way  to  Denewood 
for  the  day  he  seemed  much  pleased.  He  asked 
if  I  would  take  care  of  'Mover'  while  he  went 
and  'shooted'  a  deer.  When  I  agreed,  he 
disappeared.  You  '11  find  him  a  little  way  above 
here,"  he  ended,  pointing  up  the  road. 

This  news,  which  seemed  innocent  enough, 
added  to  my  alarm,  for  Jacky  was  out  of  bounds, 
and  knowing  him  for  an  obedient  child,  I  felt 
certain  there  was  something  behind  this  infrac- 
tion of  the  rules. 

"Anything  the  matter?"  asked  Hal,  evidently 
noting  somewhat  of  my  feelings. 

I  was  in  two  minds  to  tell  him  what  was  in 
my  thoughts,  though  to  be  sure  I  should  have  had 
hard  work  to  express  them,  but  having  no  reason 
to  believe  that  Jacky  was  not  within  reach  and 
knowing  Hal's  failing  for  exaggeration,  I  was 

68 


JACKY  GOES  A-HUNTING 

not  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  alarming  Bee  for 
naught. 

"I  was  just  looking  for  the  boy,"  I  answered 
with  a  show  of  indifference.  "I  don't  quite  like 
his  being  so  far  from  the  house  alone.  But  don't 
say  aught  to  Bee  about  it.  There 's  no  need  to 
make  her  anxious." 

"Oh,  let  the  boy  be !"  cried  Hal.  "You  women 
will  make  a  mollycoddle  of  him.  When  my  Hor- 
rie  is  his  age  't  will  be  a  governor  he  '11  have,  and 
not  a  nursemaid  at  his  elbow." 

There  was  no  need  to  answer  this,  for  't  was  a 
joke  among  us  how  Betty  ruled  her  husband,  and 
that  no  other  boy  living  received  the  coddling  her 
son  did. 

"I  'm  going  on,"  I  told  Hal,  and  he  waved  his 
hat  to  me  and  set  his  horse  on  the  gallop  on  his 
way  to  Denewood. 

Once  in  the  woods  again  I  made  all  speed  to  the 
place  he  had  indicated ;  but  no  sign  of  the  boy  did 
I  find,  though  I  pushed  on  more  and  more  rapidly, 
looking  to  all  quarters  as  well  as  I  was  able  for 
the  trees. 

At  length  I  began  to  think  that  I  must  be  go- 
ing in  the  wrong  direction  and  was  about  to  turn 

69 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

back,  when  my  eye  chanced  on  a  small  whistle 
which  I  knew  on  the  instant  for  Jacky's.  I 
picked  it  up,  satisfied  now  that  the  boy  could  not 
be  far  away,  and  hurried  on. 

A  moment  later  I  was  rather  surprised  to  come 
out  into  an  open  space  of  perhaps  ten  acres  and 
there,  near  the  wood  bounding  the  opposite  side, 
I  saw  an  Indian,  and  beside  him  trudged  Jack. 
In  great  excitement  I  prepared  to  hail  them. 

Now  all  my  life  my  stutter  had  plagued  me 
more  than  any  one  knew,  and  I  had  fought  it 
and  I  thought  had  conquered  it,  yet  here,  when 
I  most  needed  to  speak  quickly,  it  again  tricked 
me. 

In  faith  I  could  not  speak  at  all,  and  as  I  strug- 
gled against  this  weakness,  stumbling  forward 
the  while,  my  hand  clutching  at  my  throat, 
which  seemed  to  catch  the  words  ere  they 
were  uttered  and  refuse  to  let  them  out,  I 
saw  the  Indian  stoop  down  and  pick  up  the  boy, 
setting  him  on  his  shoulder.  Then  in  an  instant 
before  I  had  uttered  a  word,  they  both  disap- 
peared into  the  wood. 


70 


CHAPTER  VI 

PEG   TURNS   TRAPPER 

FOR  a  moment  after  little  Jack  and  the  Indian 
had  disappeared  I  stood  still,  so  appalled 
that  I  scarce  seemed  able  to  move.  It  is  true  that 
I  had  been  apprehensive  at  not  finding  the  boy, 
but  that  came  from  a  vague  fear  that  he  might 
have  wandered  too  far.  That  he  should  have 
been  stolen  by  a  savage  or  any  one  else  had  never 
entered  my  mind. 

I  came  to  my  senses  and  tore  wildly  across  the 
open  space  to  the  spot  where  they  had  disappeared 
and  then  on  into  the  forest.  I  was  nigh  to  panic 
and  ran  blindly,  conscious  only  of  a  great  fear 
in  my  heart ;  but  after  a  time  my  thoughts  cleared 
and,  though  my  alarm  was  not  less,  I  realized  that 
I  must  summon  all  my  wits  if  I  would  regain  the 
boy. 

I  slowed  my  pace  and  took  thought  of  my  sur- 
roundings with  a  view  to  finding  some  trace  of 
the  Indian's  passage  through  the  wood.  I  knew 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

of  men  to  whom  every  bent  twig  would  have  told 
a  story;  who  could  find  footprints  even  on  the 
leaves  and  moss;  who  could  follow  a  trail  un- 
erringly by  signs  that  were  not  visible  to  the  un- 
skilled; and,  though  I  lacked  experience  in  this 
wood  lore,  I  had  heard  much  of  the  methods  and 
made  an  effort  to  use  what  I  could  remember  of 
it. 

But  search  as  I  might  there  were  no  signs  to 
guide  me  that  I  could  understand.  I  stopped  and 
listened,  shuddering  at  the  solemn  stillness  of  the 
deep  forest  which  I  knew  hid  a  host  of  living  crea- 
tures, eying  me  hostilely  even  as  I  stood.  All 
about  me  in  the  silent  sunlit  solitude  were  huge 
trees,  putting  out  tender  shoots  of  green  through 
which  the  shimmering  light  shed  shifting  shad- 
ows on  the  soft  earth.  At  my  feet  the  brown 
carpet  of  leaves  was  starred  with  hepaticas,  blood- 
root  and  anemones,  while  here  and  there  little 
clumps  of  fern  fronds  made  emerald  patches  and 
sprouts  of  dog-tooth  violets,  splashed  with  darker 
color,  marked  a  damper  spot  or  perhaps  a  spring. 

But  though  there  was  naught  to  tell  me  in 
which  direction  my  path  lay,  naught  was  to  be 
gained  by  standing  still,  so  I  started  forward, 

72 


PEG  TURNS  TRAPPER 

heeding  not  the  briers  that  caught  at  my  skirts  as 
if  to  stay  my  progress. 

Ere  long  I  began  to  question  the  wisdom  of  my 
attempt  to  catch  the  Indian.  Might  it  not  be 
wiser  to  return  to  Denewood  and  give  the  alarm  ? 
Against  this  was  the  time  it  would  require  to  re- 
trace my  steps  and  also  the  feeling  that  it  would 
seem  almost  as  if  I  were  turning  my  back  upon 
Jacky.  Moreover,  sooner  or  later  there  would  be 
inquiries  for  both  the  boy  and  me,  Hal  would  then 
tell  of  our  meeting,  and  I  had  no  doubt  they 
would  be  after  us  in  short  order. 

So  I  determined  to  go  on.  It  was  what  my 
love  for  the  child  dictated  and,  as  if  to  confirm 
this  decision,  my  glance  was  suddenly  arrested 
by  a  blood-root  flower  crushed  into  the  brown 
leaves  a  yard  or  two  ahead  of  me. 

I  leaned  down  to  examine  it  and  found  that  it 
was  freshly  broken,  for  the  thick  red  sap  which 
gives  the  flower  its  name  was  not  yet  dry,  and, 
though  I  was  not  sure,  it  looked  to  me,  as  if 
there  was  a  slight  depression  around  the  broken 
plant  that  might  have  been  made  by  a  foot. 
Eagerly  I  peered  about,  hoping  to  see  other  signs, 
and  was  rewarded  by  finding  a  dead  leaf  turned 

73 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

up  to  show  the  damp  under  side.  Something 
must  have  disturbed  it  but  a  short  while  before, 
and  my  heart  gave  a  great  bound  of  joy. 

Then,  to  dash  my  spirits,  came  the  thought  that 
an  animal  might  have  left  such  traces. 

But  proof  of  this  was  easy,  and  standing  be- 
side the  crushed  flower  I  stepped  forward  toward 
the  upturned  leaf.  To  my  delight  I  found  that 
the  distance  was  about  what  I  would  judge  a 
man's  pace  to  be  and  once  more,  as  if  to  reward 
my  patience,  a  broken  flower  the  same  space  away 
in  a  straight  line  caught  my  eye. 

Here  surely  was  evidence  that  some  person 
had  been  walking  there,  and,  though  I  saw  no 
further  signs,  these  three  marks  gave  me  the  gen- 
eral direction  of  the  traveler  and  spurred  me  on 
to  continue  the  pursuit.  True,  it  might  not  be 
the  Indian  at  all,  but  I  put  this  thought  from 
me. 

I  went  forward  more  cautiously  now,  alert  to 
catch  any  other  indication  that  I  had  reasoned 
truly,  yet  found  naught  more  to  point  the  way; 
but  I  reflected  that  I  had  a  redskin  to  deal  with, 
and  tales  of  them  had  taught  me  that  I  should 

74 


PEG  TURNS  TRAPPER 

not  have  seen  his  three  footprints  had  he  not  been 
careless  or  indifferent. 

After  a  space  I  began  again  to  doubt  that  I  was 
on  the  right  track  and  presently  stopped  in  de- 
spair. I  had  come  such  a  way  without  anything 
to  hearten  me.  It  seemed  utterly  hopeless  to  go 
on  blindly  in  that  great  forest  and  I  was  about  to 
give  up  when  I  bethought  me  of  a  tale  I  had  been 
told,  that  sounds  a  great  way  off  can  be  heard  if 
one  sets  an  ear  to  the  ground. 

In  an  instant  I  had  dropped  to  my  knees  and, 
brushing  aside  the  dry  leaves,  pressed  my  head 
against  the  damp  earth,  listening  with  all  my 
might. 

At  first  there  was  naught,  then  soft  pats  upon 
the  ground  came  to  me  faintly.  I  strained  every 
nerve  and  caught  a  regular  beat  like  the  slow  jog- 
trot of  a  man.  Moreover,  I  judged  it  to  be  not 
far  away. 

I  leaped  to  my  feet  ready  to  shout  "]s.cky"  at 
the  top  of  my  voice ;  but  ere  I  did  so  a  new 
thought  entered  my  mind  and  I  put  my  hand  to 
my  mouth  to  stifle  the  cry.  I  was  sure  that  if 
the  Indian  knew  he  was  being  followed  my  chance 

75 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

of  ever  catching  up  with  him  would  vanish. 
Naught  save  his  carelessness  and  great  good  luck 
on  my  part,  had  brought  me  thus  near  him.  I 
must  still  be  cautious  till  I  sighted  him. 

I  pressed  forward  at  top  speed  and  presently 
came  to  a  brook  running  merrily  among  the  gray 
stones.  In  two  minds  whether  to  cross  or  not, 
I  stopped  to  listen.  This  time  I  heard  no  sounds 
though  I  crushed  my  ear  closer  than  ever  to  the 
damp  earth. 

"He  has  halted,"  I  said  to  myself  as  I  arose; 
but  somehow  I  did  not  feel  sure  of  it. 

"Nay,"  I  murmured  on  second  thought,  "he 
has  taken  to  the  brook  to  hide  his  trail.  I  've 
heard  of  that  Indian  trick." 

Of  this  I  felt  certain  and  was  gladdened,  for 
now  I  had  only  to  take  the  merry  stream  as  my 
guide  and  could  push  on  more  rapidly. 

And  at  last  I  had  my  reward.  My  long  chase 
was  not  for  naught.  Ahead  of  me,  picking  his 
way  carefully  among  the  stones  was  a  tall  Indian 
and  on  his  back  he  carried  Jacky.  My  heart  nigh 
ceased  its  beating  with  joy  at  the  sight. 

"Jacky!"  I  cried  at  the  top  of  my  voice, 
"Jacky!  Jacky!" 

76 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE   EAGLET 

MYi  shout  halted  the  savage  abruptly  and  he 
wheeled  about  to  face  me,  showing  plainly 
enough  that  my  appearance  was  a  complete  sur- 
prise ;  but  he  waited  only  an  instant,  then  turned, 
and  stepping  out  of  the  water,  plunged  into  the 
woods.  With  a  bound  across  the  little  stream  I 
took  after  him  as  fast  as  I  could,  for  having  come 
this  far  I  was  not  to  be  put  off. 

"Jacky!"  I  kept  calling  as  I  ran.  "]ac.ky\ 
Wait  for  me,"  and  though  I  did  not  gain,  the  In- 
dian, hampered  by  the  boy,  drew  no  farther  away 
from  me  and  we  raced  on  for  a  time,  neither  se- 
curing any  advantage. 

But  at  length  my  breath  began  to  come  in 
shorter  gasps  and  I  knew  that  in  the  end  I  must 
be  distanced. 

Jacky,  however,  now  took  a  hand  in  the  matter 
and  I  heard  him  crying  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

77 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"I  tell  you  't  is  Aunty  Peg.  I  will  stop  and 
speak  to  her,"  and  I  saw  him  beat  the  warrior 
about  the  head  with  his  little  fists. 

I  had  no  hope  that  the  boy's  childish  efforts 
would  deter  the  Indian,  but  to  my  surprise  and 
delight  the  savage  stopped  in  obedience  to  his  or- 
ders and  set  him  upon  the  ground,  where  they 
waited  till  I  came  up  to  them. 

"Oh,  Jacky,"  I  panted,  "what  are  you  doing  out 
of  bounds  alone?" 

"I  am  n't  alone,  Aunty  Peg,"  he  answered 
readily  and  with  truth.  "We  're  going  to  shoot  a 
deer  and  Uncle  Hal  is  taking  care  of  Mover, 
so  I  'm  not  needed  at  home — and  I  am  n't 
naughty." 

It  all  came  out  in  such  a  burst  of  injured  in- 
nocence that  I  saw  he  had  no  idea  he  was  doing 
aught  he  should  not  have  done,  and  for  a  moment 
I  was  at  a  loss. 

"The  fledgling  must  some  day  leave  the  nest," 
said  the  Indian  in  a  deep  voice,  "to  chain  it  is 
to  cripple  it ;  yet  even  an  eaglet  must  be  taught  to 
fly." 

"The  Eaglet 's  my  Indian  name.  I  like  it  bet- 
ter than  Jack,"  put  in  the  boy,  complacently,  but 

78 


THE  EAGLET 

I  heeded  not  his  words,  for  I  was  looking  at  the 
redskin  before  me.  His  face  was  familiar,  as 
if  perchance  I  had  seen  him  before,  but  I  could 
in  no  wise  place  the  time  or  circumstance.  He 
was  adorned  as  for  a  ceremony.  His  moccasins 
were  rich  with  beads,  his  leggings  fringed  and 
embroidered  with  quills  of  the  porcupine,  and  he 
was  painted  gaily  with  yellow,  red,  and  white. 
Round  his  head  was  a  figured  band  which  held 
two  eagle  feathers  arrogantly  upright,  and  he  had 
the  haughty  manner  of  a  chief. 

Little  Jack  too,  I  noted,  had  a  worked  band 
about  his  head  with  one  feather  sticking  in  it,  and 
this  afforded  me  much  comfort,  for  I  had  heard 
that  Indians  strip  of  all  ornament  those  they  mean 
to  scalp,  and  paint  their  victims  black  as  well. 
Thus  there  was  no  indication  that  any  harm  was 
intended  to  the  boy;  nevertheless  the  situation 
seemed  threatening  enough,  and  I  decided  that 
my  best  plan  was  to  put  a  bold  front  on  the  mat- 
ter and  show  the  savage  that  I  at  least  was  not 
afraid. 

"You  had  no  right  to  take  the  boy,"  I  said  to 
him.  "He  is  too  young  to  leave  his  mother." 

"The  maiden  can  say  where  the  Eaglet  is,"  he 
79 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

returned  stolidly,  adding  as  if  it  were  an  after- 
thought, "Tell  the  mother  of  the  Eaglet  that 
the  appointed  time  is  come." 

"Think  you  I  will  desert  the  boy?"  I  exclaimed, 
for  he  seemed  to  take  it  for  granted  that  I  would 
start  back  immediately.  "I  shall  not  leave  him." 

"It  is  well,"  he  replied  indifferently.  "Now 
we  go." 

He  took  Jacky's  hand  and  started  forward  with 
a  light  step. 

"Nay,"  I  protested,  "that  is  not  the  way  to  his 
home." 

"The  Eaglet's  home  lies  where  Tiscoquam  is 
going,"  he  answered,  and  strode  off,  with  Jacky 
trudging  happily  along  beside  him. 

There  was  naught  I  could  do  but  accompany 
them  and  keep  my  wits  about  me.  I  felt  certain 
that  by  dinner-time  we  must  be  missed  and  the 
search  for  us  organized,  so  I  concluded  that  the 
best  thing  for  me  to  do  now  was  to  stay  by  the 
boy  until  we  were  found. 

When  the  sun  was  at  its  highest  the  Indian 
suddenly  stopped  and  settled  down  on  his 
haunches  with  a  grunt. 

"Eat  here,"  he  announced,  and  drew  forth 

80 


THE  EAGLET 

from  his  pouch  a  piece  of  dried  meat.  Cutting 
it  into  thin  strips  he  handed  some  slices  to  Jacky, 
but  the  boy  relished  it  not. 

''If  this  is  venison  I  'd  rather  have  fowl,  thank 
you/'  he  said,  but  as  no  fowl  was  forthcoming  he 
ate  a  portion  of  the  meat  on  my  telling  him  that 
hunters  must  take  the  rough  with  the  smooth. 

After  the  savage  had  eaten  his  fill  he  wiped  his 
knife  upon  the  sole  of  his  moccasin  and  handed  it 
and  the  lump  of  meat  to  me.  A  woman,  to  his 
thinking,  could  expect  naught  better  than  second 
place,  and  though  I  had  no  particular  inclination 
to  eat,  I  knew  that  all  my  strength  was  needed 
and  made  shift  to  gnaw  a  little  of  the  dried 
flesh.  The  knife,  however,  had  been  but  indif- 
ferently cleansed  and  so,  before  I  used  it,  I  took 
the  precaution  to  thrust  it  once  or  twice  into  some 
damp  earth,  after  which  I  wiped  it  upon  a  clump 
of  newly  sprouted  ferns. 

All  this  I  did  with  as  much  show  of  coolness  as 
I  could  muster.  To  tell  the  truth,  I  was  at  my 
wit' s  end  to  know  what  was  best  to  be  done,  but 
I  was  certain  that  a  show  of  courage  would  not 
hurt  my  cause;  for  all  the  while  the  Indian 
watched  me  with  eyes  that  gleamed  like  spark- 
Si 


PEG  0'  THE  RING 

ling  bits  of  jet,  though  he  scarce  moved  a  muscle, 
nor  could  I  learn  aught  of  what  he  thought  from 
the  expression  of  his  face.  He  simply  sat  there 
eying  me,  and  I  went  on  with  my  meal,  trying  to 
seem  as  indifferent  as  he. 

At  length  he  drew  forth  his  tobacco  pouch  and, 
after  throwing  a  pinch  of  tobacco  into  the  air  to 
placate  some  deity  of  his  own,  he  filled  a  small 
pipe.  This  he  lighted  with  two  flints  struck  to- 
gether against  some  dried  pith  and  began  to 
smoke,  ignoring  me  completely,  as  if  he  had  de- 
cided that  my  presence  mattered  little  one  way 
or  the  other. 

Jacky,  seeking  entertainment,  had  wandered 
off  a  little  and  I  thought  it  a  good  time  to  come 
to  an  understanding  with  the  redskin  if  I  could, 
so  I  turned  to  him  and  speaking  with  as  few 
words  as  possible  after  the  Indian  fashion,  de- 
manded what  he  meant  to  do  with  the  boy. 

"The  Eaglet  goes  to  his  home,"  he  answered, 
and  turned  his  eyes  to  what  I  guessed  was  the 
northward. 

"Nay,  you  wish  to  deceive  me,"  I  protested; 
"his  home  lies  not  there." 

"His  home  lies  with  his  people,  the  Mengive," 
82 


THE  EAGLET 

he  retorted.  This  startled  me,  for  it  is  what  the 
Iroquois  call  themselves  and  their  lands  lie  far 
from  Denewood. 

"Who  are  you?"  I  asked.  "I  thought  you 
were  a  Delaware." 

"Tiscoquam  is  no  Lenni-Lenape  slave,"  he  said, 
half  angrily,  the  Delawares  being  subject  to  the 
Iroquois.  Then  with  a  quick  gesture  he  put  his 
hand  to  his  neck  and  plucked  out  a  stout  cord  at 
the  end  of  which  glittered  a  bit  of  yellow  gold, 
which  he  held  toward  me.  It  was  the  battered 
half- Joe  that  had  centered  the  target  of  the  bride's 
wreath,  and,  as  I  looked,  the  scene  of  the  shoot- 
ing-match that  had  taken  place  soon  after  Bee's 
marriage  came  back  to  me  and  I  understood  why 
this  man's  face  had  been  vaguely  familiar. 

"I  remember,"  I  murmured  under  my  breath. 

"Tiscoquam  is  a  chief  of  the  Senecas,"  he  an- 
nounced proudly. 

"What  has  the  boy  to  do  with  you?"  I  asked, 
after  a  moment.  "What  mean  you  when  you 
talk  of  'his  people/  He  is  no  Indian,  though  his 
hair  is  black." 

"Is  he  not  the  papoose  of  the  young  Eagles?" 
he  demanded,  showing  in  the  flashing  of  his  eyes 

83 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

the  intensity  of  his  feeling;  "is  he  not  the  son  of 
the  great  white  chief,  who  shoots  with  the  bow 
of  the  red  man  ?  Is  he  not  the  son  of  the  great 
squaw,  who  fears  naught  and  looks  with  the  level 
eyes  of  the  warrior  ?  Tiscoquam  knows  he  is  the 
child  the  Mengive  have  need  of." 

"But  think  of  his  poor  mother/'  I  gasped. 

"Pity  her  not,"  said  Tiscoquam,  sternly. 
"The  mother  of  every  eaglet  knows  that  it  will 
fly  some  day,  yet  would  she  rather  be  the  mother 
of  that  eaglet  than  of  the  timid  lapwing.  He 
goes  to  his  people,"  he  ended,  with  his  voice 
dropped  low  as  if  he  whispered,  but  had  he 
shouted  it,  it  could  not  have  been  more  impres- 
sive. 

I  knew  not  what  to  say.  I  was  helpless  in  the 
face  of  the  grim  determination  of  the  savage  be- 
fore me. 

"Listen  to  a  true  tale,"  he  began  suddenly, 
speaking  as  if  to  himself.  "For  many  moons 
Tiscoquam  has  waited.  His  people  have  grown 
timid  as  does.  Their  hunting-grounds  are  given 
to  the  plow.  Their  lands  melt  like  ice  at  the 
breath  of  spring.  Tiscoquam  has  seen  his  chiefs 
follow  Cornplanter  to  the  island  of  Manhattan  to 

84 


THE  EAGLET 

beg  of  the  white  men's  council  that  the  redskins 
be  not  enslaved  even  as  are  the  blacks."  The 
words  came  out  with  a  rush  of  anger  and  he  spat 
upon  the  ground  as  though  he  had  poison  in  his 
mouth. 

"But  this  has  naught  to  do  with  the  boy,"  I 
said,  quite  bewildered,  for  I  saw  that  he  spoke 
from  the  bitterness  of  his  heart.  "He  is  but  a 
child  and  cannot  endanger  your  liberties." 

"For  many  moons  Tiscoquam  has  waited,"  he 
repeated,  calm  again  after  his  outburst.  "He  has 
watched  this  sachem  and  that.  He  has  said  of 
this  one,  'He  is  great  and  will  lead  the  Senecas  as 
of  old.'  He  has  thought  of  such  a  warrior,  'He 
will  widen  our  lands,  and  the  braves  of  the  Iro- 
quois  will  be  as  the  leaves  of  the  forest/  But 
no !  The  people  dwindle.  Their  lodges  are  few, 
and  they  are  cut  down  like  the  grass  of  the  fields. 
They  are  led  to  Manhattan  to  seek  favor  of  their 
white  oppressors.  Their  hearts  are  turned  to 
water." 

He  stopped  for  a  moment  as  if  the  recollection 
of  his  humiliation  was  more  than  he  could  bear. 

"But  to-day  Tiscoquam  turned  his  face  from 
the  council  fires,"  he  went  on,  a  grimmer  tone 

85 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

coming  into  his  voice.  "Tiscoquam  knows  that 
all  the  Senecas  lack  is  a  great  warrior.  He  pon- 
dered these  matters  as  he  walked  alone  in  the 
forest  and  his  spirit  was  sad  within  him.  Then 
came  the  young  Eaglet.  In  his  heart  there  was 
no  fear  for  the  red  warrior.  The  eyes  of  the 
Eaglet  met  the  eyes  of  Tiscoquam.  The  heart  of 
the  Eaglet  is  one  with  the  heart  of  Tiscoquam. 
The  Eaglet  asks  good  hunting.  Then  Tiscoquam 
looks  back  into  the  past.  He  sees  the  marriage 
feast;  the  young  Eagle  whose  arrow  pierces  the 
apple  in  the  air ;  the  Squaw  with  eyes  that  hold  no 
fear.  He  remembers  the  shooting  and  his  spirit 
is  once  more  glad  within  him.  The  Great  Spirit 
has  answered  the  prayer  of  Tiscoquam.  Tisco- 
quam has  found  the  warrior  who  shall  lead  the 
Iroquois  to  victory."  He  ended  in  a  low  voice 
even  as  before,  but  lifting  his  arms  straight  up 
beside  his  head,  the  fingers  outstretched  as  if  to 
touch  the  heavens. 

There  was  silence  for  a  moment.  It  was  all 
too  plain  to  me  that  the  Indian,  though  he  meant 
no  harm  to  Jacky,  was  yet  fixed  upon  his  purpose, 
and  I,  a  weak  girl,  could  in  no  way  change  his 
will. 

86 


THE  EAGLET 

"Think  you  his  father  will  sit  idle  and  let  you 
steal  his  son?"  I  asked. 

'The  young  Eagle  can  shoot  with  the  bow," 
Tiscoquam  answered  calmly;  "can  he  follow  the 
trail  as  well  ?  Tiscoquam  and  the  Eaglet  will  go 
fast  and  far." 

"You  cannot  go  so  far  that  I  will  not  go  too,"  I 
replied  promptly. 

Tiscoquam  waved  his  hand  as  if  to  brush  away 
a  subject  in  which  he  had  no  interest. 

"Enough,"  he  grunted.  "A  brave  has  not  the 
heart  of  a  woman.  Go  back  and  tell  the  pale- 
faces Tiscoquam  has  the  Eaglet,  and  let  them 
catch  him  if  they  can." 

"I  will  not  leave  the  boy,"  I  answered  stub- 
bornly. 

"Come  then,  but  murmur  not  lest  Tiscoquam 
lose  patience,"  said  the  Indian.  "The  Eaglet 
shall  grow  strong.  He  shall  be  the  king  of  a 
great  nation.  His  white  blood  will  give  him  the 
cunning  to  put  at  naught  the  purposes  of  the 
white  men.  His  red  heart  will  give  him  the  cour- 
age to  lead  red  men.  The  Eaglet  shall  rule  the 
Senecas.  The  Senecas  shall  rule  the  land  once 
more." 

89 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

He  rose  suddenly  to  his  feet.  "The  time  to 
take  the  trail  has  come/'  he  ended. 

'T  was  plain  he  had  no  mind  to  argue  further 
so  I  took  little  Jack's  hand  and  prepared  to  follow 
in  silence. 


90 


CHAPTER  VIII 

MAGIC 

ERE  we  took  our  flight  through  the  forest 
Tiscoquam  was  at  pains  to  obliterate  all 
signs  of  our  resting-place  and  made  it  plain  that 
he  meant  to  leave  no  trace  behind. 

Whether  this  came  about  as  the  result  of  my 
threat  that  Cousin  John  would  surely  follow  I 
know  not,  but  it  set  me  thinking  and  I  resolved 
to  mark  our  path  wherever  an  opportunity  served. 

"Tiscoquam's  way  lies  here,"  the  Indian 
grunted,  pointing  to  the  brook  as  we  started. 
"Go  before." 

I  protested  that  I  preferred  to  follow  along  the 
bank,  but  he  would  have  his  way,  and  seeing  that 
I  had  no  choice  I  took  off  my  shoes  and  stockings 
to  wade  the  stream. 

As  I  stepped  into  the  water  I  chose  a  soft  spot 
on  the  edge  to  set  my  foot,  thinking  that  the  print 
of  it  would  show  the  way  to  those  who  followed, 
but  Tiscoquam  was  not  to  be  fooled.  Casting  an 

91 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

evil  glance  at  me  he  lifted  a  flat  stone  from  the 
bed  of  the  brook  and  set  it  upon  the  place.  In  a 
few  moments  the  gray  rock  would  dry,  leaving 
naught  to  betray  its  sudden  change  of  position. 

"Go!"  growled  Tiscoquam,  and  I  splashed 
ahead,  realizing  that  his  sharp  eyes  would  be  upon 
me  every  moment.  Nevertheless  my  brain  was 
busy  and  my  position  in  front  at  least  permitted 
me  to  set  the  pace,  which  I  took  care  should  not 
be  too  swift,  though  I  was  ordered  now  and  then 
to  cease  my  loitering. 

In  this  way  we  went  on  for  several  miles,  but 
at  length,  much  to  my  relief,  for  my  feet  began  to 
suffer  from  the  sharp  stones,  we  took  to  the  woods 
again  and  I  was  allowed  to  put  on  my  shoes  and 
stockings. 

After  leaving  the  stream  the  Indian  was  not  so 
watchful  of  my  doings,  thinking  doubtless  that 
none  would  pick  up  our  path  at  the  end  of  that 
long  passage  through  the  brook.  This  gave  me 
a  chance  to  break  a  twig  here  and  there  along  the 
way  and  to  do  such  other  things  as  occurred  to 
me  to  make  our  route  clear. 

All  the  while  Jacky  seemed  as  happy  as  the  day, 
and  the  redskin  was  as  quick  to  please  the  child 

92 


MAGIC 

as  if  he  were  already  the  great  chief  of  his 
dreams.  I  saw  no  need  of  telling  the  boy  in  what 
danger  we  lay.  Rather  did  it  seem  wise  to  en- 
courage his  innocent  attachment  for  the  savage, 
for  his  own  protection. 

So  we  plodded  on  for  two  hours  or  more,  chat- 
ting of  the  deer  to  be  killed,  always  just  a  little 
deeper  in  the  forest,  while  my  heart  grew  heavier 
and  heavier  as  I  thought  of  poor  Bee's  anxiety 
and  my  own  helplessness. 

Finally,  as  the  sun  began  to  cast  long  rays  be- 
tween the  tree  trunks,  we  stopped. 

"Here  is  the  place  to  kindle  fire,"  said  the  In- 
dian, stringing  his  bow.  "Tiscoquam  goes  to 
shoot  squirrels.  The  pale  face  maiden  must 
gather  sticks,"  and  with  that  he  disappeared  into 
the  forest. 

The  fact  that  he  feared  not  to  leave  us  alone, 
showed  all  too  plainly  how  helpless  we  were  to 
escape;  but  his  absence  gave  me  an  opportunity 
for  which  I  had  been  longing. 

Always  my  thoughts  were  on  those  I  hoped 
were  already  looking  for  us,  and  if  in  any  way  I 
could  let  them  know  that  we  were  headed  for  the 
Iroquois  country  in  the  North,  such  information 

93 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

might  save  them  many  days  of  vain  searching  and 
bring  the  succor  we  stood  in  such  dire  need  of. 

If  I  could  but  write  a  note  telling  of  our  des- 
tination perchance  it  might  be  found  by  those 
tracing  our  steps.  But  this  was  easier  said  than 
done,  as  Mummer  might  have  said  it. 

In  my  pack-pocket  there  was  but  a  small  house- 
wife, naught  else,  not  so  much  as  a  handkerchief. 
I  thought  at  first  to  scratch  my  message  on  a 
piece  of  birch-bark,  but  there  were  none  of  those 
trees  about,  and  I  racked  my  brains  to  think 
what  I  could  use  as  I  gathered  faggots  at  Tis- 
coquam's  order. 

Just  then  Jacky,  who  was  helping  me,  opened 
his  hand  and  showed  me  three  pieces  of  paper, 
which  he  had  been  holding  rolled  up  in  his  hot 
little  palm. 

"  T  was  lucky  I  brought  these  to  light  the  fire," 
he  announced  proudly,  looking  at  me  with  a  happy 
smile. 

Here  before  me  was  one  of  the  materials  I 
needed  and  I  cast  about  for  the  best  way  to  obtain 
it  from  him  without  risking  suspicion  of  my  pur- 
pose, for  a  chance  word  of  his  might  betray  the 
secret  to  the  savage. 

94 


MAGIC 

"Jacky  f"  I  cried,  with  a  show  of  surprise  at  his 
proposal,  "you  would  never  light  a  fire  with  pa- 
per? No  true  hunter  does  it  in  that  fashion." 

"Do  they  not,  Aunty  Peggy?"  he  asked  inno- 
cently. "How  then  do  they  manage?" 

Now  I  was  as  ignorant  of  the  matter  as  he,  but 
I  looked  wise  and  shook  my  head. 

"Watch  the  Indian,"  I  suggested  mysteriously, 
and  held  out  my  hand  for  the  crumpled  ball, 
which  he  gave  me  without  a  word. 

"Don't  tell  Tiscoquam,"  he  cautioned  in  an  un- 
dertone, and  went  off  to  find  more  sticks. 

I  lacked  now  but  half  the  means  of  writing, 
and  remembering  the  marking  stones,  as  we  chil- 
dren used  to  call  hard  bits  of  colored  clay  which 
we  treasured  to  draw  pictures  with,  I  set  about 
looking  for  one.  But  my  search  was  vain. 
Naught  but  flints  could  I  discover,  and  these 
would  not  serve.  Yet  as  I  hunted,  the  white, 
starlike  flower  of  the  blood-root  caught  my  eye 
and  I  nigh  cried  out  with  joy.  Here,  indeed,  was 
all  the  ink  I  needed.  The  juice  from  the  stem 
would  make  a  fine  red  mark  upon  my  scraps  of 
paper. 

Still  pretending  to  be  on  the  outlook  for  fire- 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

wood,  I  retraced  my  steps  along  the  path  we  had 
come  till  I  was  out  of  sight  of  our  stopping-place. 
Here  I  halted  and  set  to  work  to  carry  out  my 
plan. 

Little  Jacky's  fire-lighters  had  evidently  been 
picked  hastily  out  of  the  waste-basket  in  Mum- 
mer's office,  for  two  of  the  bits  were  filled  upon 
one  surface  with  close  columns  of  figures. 

The  other  side,  however,  was  blank,  and  pluck- 
ing a  blood-root  I  printed  as  quickly  as  I  could 
the  following  message : 

Tiscoquam  is  taking  Jacky  to  the  Seneca  country  to 
make  him  a  great  chief.  I  go  with  them.  All  well.  Do 
not  fear  harm  for  the  boy. 

This  much  nigh  filled  my  sheet  and  I  was  about 
to  sign  it  "Peg"  when  I  bethought  me  of  a  hunter 
or  trapper  finding  it  who  knew  naught  of  us. 
This  determined  me  to  use  the  space  left  for  our 
address  so  I  added,  "For  Denewood  in  German- 
town." 

There  was  still  a  little  room  in  the  lower  corner, 
but  not  enough  to  print  my  name,  so  large  was  I 
obliged  to  make  the  letters;  then  remembering 
how  many  times  I  had  used  my  mysterious  ring  to 

96 


MAGIC 

make  wax  seals  I  rubbed  some  of  the  blood-root 
juice  upon  the  cutting  and  stamped  it  upon  the 
spot  at  the  end  of  my  brief  note. 

To  my  delight  the  design  showed  perfectly,  and 
I  was  assured  that  once  in  the  hands  of  any  one 
at  home  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  who  had  writ- 
ten it. 

My  next  task  was  to  find  a  suitable  place  to 
leave  my  message,  but  as  I  looked  about  me  it 
seemed  as  though  one  spot  was  as  good  as  an- 
other, for  I  must  trust  its  being  found  at  all  to  a 
merciful  Providence.  I  put  it  on  a  rock  at  my 
feet,  placing  a  stone  on  one  corner  against  its 
blowing  away,  and  it  looked  so  small  in  that  vast 
forest  that  my  heart  misgave  me  lest  no  one  would 
come  upon  it.  It  was  plain  that  I  must  do  some- 
thing to  attract  attention  to  it. 

By  dint  of  hard  thinking,  albeit  I  wasted  no 
time  for  fear  of  Tiscoquam's  return,  I  hit  upon 
the  plan  of  tearing  one  of  the  other  pieces  of  pa- 
per into  bits  and  putting  on  each  a  blood-root  seal 
from  my  ring. 

This  I  did  with  all  haste,  dropping  them  at 
equal  distances  from  one  another  on  both  sides  of 
the  spot  where  lay  my  little  letter. 

97 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

"Surely,"  I  thought,  "any  one  picking  up  a 
scrap  of  paper  with  so  strange  a  marking  will 
look  for  more  and  so  be  led  to  the  place  I  wish 
them  to  go." 

This  scheme  seemed  so  encouraging  that  I  was 
about  to  tear  up  the  remaining  portion  of  my  pa- 
per in  order  to  extend  the  trail,  but  as  I  glanced 
down  I  saw  written  thereon  in  Mummer's 
crabbed  script,  "Overhaste  churns  bad  butter !" 

It  was  as  if  the  old  steward  himself  had  spoken 
a  warning  and  I  thrust  it  into  my  pocket  to  save 
it,  as  seemed  wise,  against  future  needs. 

Luckily  Jacky,  playing  the  mighty  hunter  most 
earnestly,  had  scarce  noted  my  absence. 

"We  'd  have  no  firewood  were  it  not  for  me," 
he  announced,  pointing  proudly  at  the  pile  of 
sticks  he  had  gathered. 

"Where  did  you  find  so  many?"  I  asked  peni- 
tently. 

"Come  and  I  '11  show  you,"  he  answered,  and 
I  set  to  work  with  a  will. 

Not  long  after  this  Tiscoquam  returned,  and 
with  him  was  an  Indian  woman,  his  squaw. 
Where  she  had  been  I  know  not,  but  evidently 
their  meeting  was  prearranged  and  perhaps  ac- 

98 


MAGIC 

counted  for  Tiscoquam's  slow  pace  which  had 
permitted  me  to  overtake  him. 

This  woman  carried  a  little  animal  of  some  sort 
and  a  few  roots  of  katniss,  which  are  not  unlike 
turnips,  and  immediately  she  set  to  work  to  kindle 
the  fire  and  prepare  the  food.  She  took  no  no- 
tice of  Jacky  or  me  so  far  as  I  could  tell,  though 
I  doubted  not  she  was  well  aware  of  all  we  did. 

Tiscoquam  sat  for  awhile  watching  me  idly,  as 
I  thought.  Presently  he  rose  to  his  feet  and  be- 
gan circling  the  open  glade  in  which  we  had 
stopped,  gazing  intently  upon  the  ground.  As  he 
reached  the  outer  edge  of  it,  he  suddenly  gave  a 
grunt,  looking  sharply  at  me.  Then  he  turned 
and  disappeared  into  the  wood.  T'  was  plain  he 
had  marked  my  footprints  and  was  on  the  track 
leading  to  the  information  I  had  left  to  guide 
those  whom  I  hoped  would  be  searching  for  us. 

Nor  was  I  wrong  in  my  surmise,  for  he  re- 
turned, holding  in  his  hand  my  precious  message 
and  several  of  the  smaller  scraps  of  paper.  He 
came  running  quickly  and  it  was  plain  that  he 
was  excited,  though  with  the  Indian  habit  of  sup- 
pressing emotion,  he  endeavored  to  hide  his  agi- 
tation. I  was  greatly  frightened,  thinking  he 

99 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

would  seize  upon  this  as  a  pretext  to  leave  me  be- 
hind, but  to  my  surprise  he  went  directly  to  the 
squaw,  holding  out  for  her  inspection  the  papers 
I  had  marked.  The  woman,  when  she  saw  them, 
gave  a  half-stifled  cry  of  amazement  and  started 
back,  pressing  her  hands  to  her  breast  and  lower- 
ing her  head  as  if  fearful  that  a  blow  might  fall. 
•  Presently  Tiscoquam  strode  over  to  where  I 
stood  and  holding  out  a  bit  of  the  paper  with  the 
imprint  of  the  seal  plainly  visible,  struck  it  with 
the  forefinger  of  his  other  hand. 

"Where  did  the  pale-face  maiden  learn  this 
magic?"  he  demanded  sharply. 

Now  at  the  word  "magic"  I  thought  it  wise  to 
encourage  any  awe  he  might  have  on  that  score, 
and  by  playing  on  his  superstitions  win  some  con- 
sideration. 

"You  do  well  to  call  it  magic,  Tiscoquam,"  I 
said  gravely,  though  I  had  not  the  faintest  idea 
what  all  the  pother  was  about. 

"What  is  the  portent?"  he  demanded,  again 
striking  the  paper  with  his  finger. 

"That  it  bodes  no  good  to  you  to  keep  the  child 
and  me,"  I  returned  promptly. 

"Tiscoquam's  heart  is  not  turned  to  water  even 

100 


MAGIC 

now/'  he  returned  proudly,  "but  the  pale-face 
maiden  is  free  to  go." 

"I  go  not  alone,  Tiscoquam,"  I  answered,  and 
then  noting  the  broad  band  of  white  paint  about 
each  of  his  wrists,  another  idea  came  to  my  mind. 

Seeing  a  blood-root  flower  at  my  feet  I  leaned 
down,  pretending  to  fix  a  shoe-latchet,  but  in  re- 
ality smearing  the  stone  set  in  my  ring  and  now 
turned  palm  inward,  with  the  juice  from  its  stem. 
Suddenly  I  rose  and  grasped  the  Indian  by  the 
wrist,  squeezing  the  seal  down  upon  the  white 
band. 

"And  by  this  sign,"  I  cried,  "know  that  evil  will 
befall  you  and  your  race  an  you  keep  the  boy  and 
me  an  hour  longer!" 

Tiscoquam  looked  at  the  imprint  on  the  white 
paint  and,  though  an  Indian  brave  may  not  show 
fear,  he  staggered  back  from  me  as  if  he  saw  a 
ghost. 


101, 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN   EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

MEANWHILE  in  Denewood  many  things 
were  happening  and  I  cannot  do  better 
than  to  copy  a  few  of  the  pages  out  of  Bee's  diary 
relating  to  the  day  of  Jacky's  disappearance. 

Bee  had  a  book  of  maxims  in  which,  from 
earliest  childhood,  she  had  put  down  her  thoughts 
from  time  to  time,  and  this  led  her  into  keeping 
an  account  of  what  went  on  in  her  life. 

"It  will  amuse  the  children  when  I  am  a  grand- 
mother, Peg,"  she  told  me  laughingly,  but  long 
ere  that  it  proved  of  interest  to  more  than  one  in 
the  family. 

I  must  stop  here  to  say  that  her  confidence  in 
me  was  hardly  deserved,  but  I  am  proud  of  it  and 
glad  it  helped  her  to  bear  bravely  those  long  hours 
of  anxiety.  Having  said  this  much.  I  shall  let  Bee 
speak  for  herself. 

"Mrs.  Mummer  was  the  first  to  draw  my  at- 
tention to  the  fact  that  Peggy  was  not  in  the 

1 02 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

house  that  morning.  She  came  into  my  room  all 
a-bustle,  for  she  was  ever  busy,  and  looked  here 
and  there  as  if  in  search  of  some  one. 

"  'Where  's  Miss  Peg?'  she  asked  a  little  impa- 
tiently. 

'  'Is  she  not  in  her  own  room  ?'  I  questioned  in 
turn. 

'  'Nay;  I've  searched  the  house  from  cellar 
to  eaves  and  no  sign  of  her/  Mrs.  Mummer  re- 
plied. 

"  'Mayhap  she 's  off  to  the  woods  with  Jacky,' 
I  suggested. 

"  'Aye,  that 's  it,'  agreed  Mrs.  Mummer.  'I 
doubt  not  she  was  sorry  the  lad  was  not  let  go  to 
see  the  Indians.  'T  is  a  pity  his  father  could  not 
have  taken  him  to  the  pow-wow.' 

"  'And  you  the  one  who  made  the  most  objec- 
tion!' I  exclaimed,  remembering  who  had  pro- 
tested loudest  against  the  boy's  going. 

"  'Ah,  well,  Miss  Bee,  't  is  true,  as  Mummer 
says,  "You  cannot  have  the  penny  and  the  cake 
too ;"  but  it  goes  against  me  not  to  let  the  lad  have 
his  way,'  she  explained. 

"At  that  moment  my  brother  Hal  entered,  hav- 
ing just  ridden  over  from  Chestnut  Hill.  When 

103 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

he  heard  of  the  proposed  council  at  the  Indian 
Queen  Tavern  he  turned  on  his  heel. 

"  'I  'm  off  to  see  the  redskins !'  he  exclaimed,  for 
he  was  ever  most  interested  in  them ;  'and,  oh,  by 
the  way/  he  went  on,  halting  a  moment,  'shall  I 
take  Jacky  with  me  ?  I  saw  him  in  the  woods  be- 
yond the  gate.  He  was  out  hunting  deer/ 

'  'No ;  his  father  wished  him  not  to  go.  But 
was  Peg  with  him?'  I  asked. 

"  'I  met  her  later  looking  for  him/  Hal  an- 
swered. 'She 's  like  the  rest  of  you  women,  fol- 
lowing the  boy  like  a  hen  with  one  chicken. 
.You'll  spoil—' 

"  'Where  did  you  say  you  'd  met  them,  Hal  ?' 
I  interrupted,  for  I  had  heard  all  that  he  would 
have  said  on  the  subject  many  times  before. 

"  'About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  back  on  the  Mt. 
Airy  road/  he  returned  easily.  'Peg  hurried  off 
as  if  a  bear  might  catch  him.  You  '11  make  a 
mollycoddle  of  the  youngster,  mark  my  words. 
Well,  I  'm  off.  Good-by/  and  a  few  moments 
later  I  heard  him  galloping 'away  to  see  the  In- 
dians. 

"  'The  lad  was  out  of  bounds/  said  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer, eying  me  uneasily.  'Eh,  but  Miss  Bee  dear, 

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AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

ye  won't  punish  him,  will  you  ?'  she  begged  as  if 
I  had  threatened  dire  consequences  for  this  in- 
fraction of  the  rules.  'He  's  but  a  baby,  remem- 
ber, and  't  is  natural  he  might  make  a  mistake  by 
accident.  Promise  you  '11  not  punish  him,  Miss 
Bee?' 

"  '  "Spare  the  rod  and  spoil  the  child,"  as  Mum- 
mer says,'  I  quoted  solemnly. 

"  'What  does  a  dried-up  old  man  like  Mummer 
know  of  bringing  up  children  ?'  Mrs.  Mummer  ex- 
claimed. 'But  I  Ve  no  fear  of  your  striking  him 
with  any  rod,  and  I  '11  not  believe  he  was  out  of 
bounds  at  all.  Master  Hal 's  mistaken,'  and  she 
flounced  from  the  room,  scandalized  at  the  very 
thought  of  her  darling  being  whipped. 

"If  it  had  not  been  that  I  was  convinced  that 
my  own  dear  Peggy  was  with  the  boy  I  should 
have  begun  to  be  anxious  much  sooner  than  I  did. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  it  was  not  till  near  the  dinner 
hour  that  I  realized  that  something  must  be  amiss 
or  the  two  would  have  returned.  Distinctly  wor- 
ried, but  by  no  means  greatly  alarmed,  I  sought 
Mummer. 

"  'Have  you  seen  aught  of  Master  Jacky  or 
Miss  Peg?'  I  asked,  but  he  shook  his  head. 


"  'No,  madam,'  he  answered,  'but  perchance 
some  of  the  men  have.  I  '11  find  out/  I  followed 
him  to  the  farm  servants'  quarters  and  there  we 
found  a  black  boy  who  said  he  had  met  Peggy 
going  north  into  the  woods. 

"  'Why,  yes,  ma'am,  I  done  seen  her,'  he  an- 
swered. 'Miss  Peggy  she  come  along  jes  after 
I  done  seen  the  Injun  back  there  near  the  upper 
woodlot,  ma'am/ 

"  'Indian!'  I  echoed.     'What  Indian?' 

"  'Oh,  one  of  them  chief  Injuns,  Miss  Travers, 
ma'am,'  he  answered  volubly,  'dressed  up  mighty 
fine  in  paint  and  feathers,  he  was,  ma'am.  I 
reckon  he  was  gwin  to  the  barbecue.  I  dun  tole 
Missy  Peg  about  him  and  she  looked  scandalized, 
but  she  ain't  sayin'  nothin'.  No  'm,  I  ain't  seen 
no  sign  of  little  Massa,'  he  ended,  his  eyes  grow- 
ing wider  at  the  hint  of  trouble. 

"Taking  this  boy  and  one  or  two  others,  Mum- 
mer and  I  hurried  to  the  place  where  he  had  met 
Peg  and  then  went  on  for  a  good  mile  without 
catching  sight  of  her.  All  the  while  we  called 
repeatedly  at  the  top  of  our  voices,  but  received 
no  answer. 

"By  this  time  I  was  thoroughly  alarmed.  My 
1 06 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

first  thought  was  that  an  accident  had  happened 
to  one  of  them,  but  this  scarce  seemed  likely. 
Unless  both  had  in  some  way  come  to  grief  we 
would  have  had  word  ere  this.  For  little  Jack 
knew  every  inch  of  the  land  about  Denewood  and 
could  have  warned  us  of  a  mishap  to  Peggy. 

"Evidently  they  were  lost,  having  doubtless  be- 
come bewildered  in  an  unfamiliar  part  of  the  for- 
est. Even  now  they  might  be  hurrying  awa^ 
from  us,  all  unknowing. 

"Thoroughly  convinced  of  this,  and  assured  of 
the  uselessness  of  any  further  unskilled  efforts 
to  trace  them,  I  immediately  turned  back,  sending 
one  of  the  boys  ahead  to  find  Bill  Schmuck,  who 
was  as  good  as  any  Indian  at  following  a  trail. 
Indeed,  John  had  often  said  he  was  better  than 
the  redskins  at  their  own  game,  and  I  proposed 
to  start  him  on  the  hunt  without  loss  of  time. 

"He  responded  promptly  to  my  summons,  and 
when  I  told  him  what  was  wrong  he  was  ready 
on  the  instant  to  take  up  the  search. 

"  They  're  together,  Miss  Bee.  I  '11  guaran- 
tee that,'  he  said.  'Otherwise  one  of  them  would 
be  home  by  now.  Where  did  Master  Hal  see  the 
boy  last?1 

107 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"I  told  him  all  I  knew  and  he  went  off,  taking 
two  black  boys  with  him,  while  Mummer  and  I 
returned  to  Denewood.  Good  Mrs.  Mummer  met 
me  in  the  drive  and  one  glance  showed  her  that  I 
had  not  found  Peg  or  the  boy.  She  had  no 
need  to  ask  whether  I  was  anxious,  and  she  was 
never  one  to  waste  time  in  talk;  but  she  stood 
ready  now,  as  she  had  in  the  past,  to  further  any 
plan  I  might  have. 

"  'Mummer/  I  said,  as  we  had  reached  the 
house,  'take  Charley  and  ride  among  the  neigh- 
bors. You  may  get  some  word  of  them.' 

"  'Aye,  that 's  well  thought  of,'  Mrs.  Mummer 
applauded,  and  her  husband  with  a  nod  went  off 
to  the  stables. 

"The  next  hour  dragged  itself  out,  while  I 
watched  the  roads  and  woods  for  the  first  sign  of 
a  returning  messenger.  Mrs.  Mummer,  scarce 
saying  anything,  stayed  near  me,  her  heart  nigh 
as  sad  as  mine,  for  she  loved  the  boy  with  all  the 
strength  and  devotion  which  she  would  have 
given  a  son  of  her  own,  and  Peggy  was  as  the  ap- 
ple of  her  eye.  It  was  sore  waiting.  If  it  had  not 
been  a  matter  of  the  woods  I  should  not  have 

1 08 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

stayed  back,  but  now  I  would  but  hamper  those 
who  sought  the  trail. 

"At  length,  as  the  time  went  by  and  no  news 
came,  I  took  thought  of  sending  for  John.  This 
had  occurred  to  me  from  the  first,  but  it  was  hard 
for  me  to  convince  myself  that  aught  serious  had 
happened  and  I  had  no  wish  to  alarm  him  or  to 
bring  him  back  to  Germantown  upon  a  needless 
errand,  with  his  day  spoiled  for  naught.  Now, 
however,  I  felt  that  he  should  be  advised. 

"  'I  Ve  decided  to  send  for  Master  John/  I  said 
to  Mrs.  Mummer. 

"  '  'T  is  time/  she  agreed.  'Shall  I  give  the 
order  to  Peter?' 

"  'Yes,  please/  I  answered,  and  then,  as  she 
started  off,  I  checked  her.  'Nay,  wait.  'T  would 
be  better  if  Mark  Powell  went/ 

"'But  who's  to  tell  Mr.  Powell?'  she  asked, 
for  he  lived  a  mile  or  so  away  from  us. 

"  'I  '11  go/  I  answered.  'It  will  help  me  to  do 
something.' 

"  'Aye,  dearie,  that 's  wise  to/  she  said  encour- 
agingly. 'I  '11  see  that  your  horse  is  saddled/  and 
off  she  went  to  the  stables,  while  I  ran  upstairs  to 

109 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

put  on  a  saveguard  skirt  and  get  my  hat  and 
gloves. 

"As  I  came  down  she  met  me  at  the  door. 

"  'You  're  my  own  brave  girl/  she  said,  and 
took  me  in  her  arms  for  a  moment,  giving  me  a 
hug  of  comfort.  I  know  of  few  I  would  rather 
have  near  me  in  a  time  of  trouble  than  good  Mrs. 
Mummer. 

"  'If  I  could  only  understand  it,'  I  murmured, 
a  little  brokenly.  'Peggy  must  be  with  the  boy. 
And  she  '11  never  let  harm  come  to  him,  but  by 
this  time  word  might  have  been  sent,  even  if  she 
could  not  come  herself.  That 's  what  makes  me 
anxious/ 

"  'Miss  Peggy  loves  the  boy  as  we  do/  Mrs. 
Mummer  answered. 

"  'If  it  were  n't  for  Peg/  I  cried,  nigh  losing 
control  of  myself,  'I — I  don't  know  what  I  'd  do !' 
and  then  Peter  came  with  the  horse,  and  I 
mounted  with  all  speed. 

"  'If  they  come  while  you  're  gone,  dearie/ 
Mrs.  Mummer  called  as  I  started  off,  'I  '11  send 
Peter  after  you.' 

"It  was  more  than  a  little  satisfaction  to  me  to 
be  riding  swiftly  to  do  somewhat  for  the  recovery 

no 


of  my  lost  boy.  Moreover,  I  wanted  to  tell  Mark 
myself  just  what  had  happened,  for  I  had  no  wish 
that  John  should  have  an  account  of  the  affair 
through  one  of  the  black  boys,  who  was  like  to  let 
imagination  run  away  with  him.  Mark  heard 
me  with  scarce  a  word,  seeing  at  once  that  this 
was  no  matter  to  argue  about.  And  Polly,  too, 
behaved  better  than  I  had  expected,  though  she 
was  a  little  hysterical  and  hugged  her  own  boy 
who  could  just  toddle  across  the  floor,  as  if  he 
might  at  any  moment  run  away. 

"But  there  was  no  delay.  Mark  was  off  as 
quickly  as  he  could  saddle  his  horse,  leaving  word 
with  Polly  that  she  need  not  look  for  his  return 
until  he  arrived,  which  would  not  be  till  Jacky 
was  found. 

"We  rode  out  of  the  gate  together,  but  there 
our  ways  parted. 

1  'Don't  worry  more  than  you  can  help,  Bee,' 
said  Mark,  trying  to  hearten  me.  'We  '11  have 
the  boy  back — and  you  can  trust  Peggy,  I  'm 
thinking.' 

"  'Yes,  I  'm  sure  of  Peg,'  I  answered,  'but  I  'm 
nigh  as  anxious  about  her  as  I  am  about  Jacky. 
Good-by.' 

in 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Everything  at  Denewood  was  as  I  left  it. 
About  the  time  I  was  looking  for  John  to  reach 
home,  Dave,  one  of  the  black  boys  who  had  been 
off  with  Bill  Schmuck,  came  running  from  the 
woods.  I  saw  him  and  was  out  of  the  house  on 
the  instant. 

"  'Are  they  found?'  I  cried. 

1  'No,  Missy,  not  yet.  But  we  found  they's 
trail/  he  panted,  struggling  to  recover  his  breath. 
;  'Tell  me  about  it  slowly/  I  said,  trying  to  be 
calm  and  not  bustle  the  boy  with  too  many  ques- 
tions. 

"  'Yes,  Missy,  I  'm  tryin'  to  tell  yo'  all  jest  like 
it  happened/ 

'  'Go  on/  I  urged  gently. 

"  'Well,  Mister  Bill  he  finds  the  marks  of  young 
Massa/  Dave  continued,  'and  then  the  marks  of 
Missy  Peg.  Then  the  marks  of  the  Injun.' 

"  'The  Indian !'  Mrs.  Mummer  and  I  exclaimed 
in  one  breath. 

"  'Yes,  Missy,  the  Injun.  That 's  what  I  said/ 
he  reiterated  excitedly.  'First  of  all  there  was 
little  Massa's  feetprints  leading  back  from  the 
edge  of  the  woods  near  the  road.  They  took  us 
right  up  to  the  Injun's.  They  goes  on  a  ways  to- 

112 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

gether  and  pretty  soon  we  finds  Missy  Peg's  what 
looks  as  if  she  was  a-follerin'  only  they  ain't  no 
more  signs  of  little  Massa's — ' 

"'You  mean  Jacky's  footprints  were  lost?*  I 
interrupted,  trembling  with  fear. 

"  'Yes'm,  Missy,  but  Mister  Bill  he  tells  me  to 
say  he 's  on  the  track  of  follerin'  the  Injun  and 
Miss  Peggy,  on'y  he  wants  another  party  to  come 
help  him  jes'  as  soon  as  they  can.  He 's  waitin' 
for  me  to  lead  the  other  party  back.  Is  Massa 
John  come  yet?'  he  ended,  looking  around,  evi- 
dently taking  it  for  granted  that  the  master  of 
Denewood  had  been  sent  for. 

"  'He  '11  be  here  any  moment,'  I  told  him. 

"  That 's  good/  he  said,  with  satisfaction. 
'Mr.  Bill  he  say  he  'd  rather  have  Massa  John 
than  any  one  else  to  help  him.  He  say  he  's  ex- 
pectin'  he  '11  lose  the  trail  'most  any  time  now, 
'cause  he  done  come  to  a  creek  and  there  ain't  no 
more  signs.' 

"I  questioned  the  lad  to  find  out  if  there  was 
aught  he  had  not  told  me,  for  I,  with  my  slight 
knowledge  of  woodcraft  could  scarce  make  head 
or  tail  of  his  story,  but  he  held  to  it  and  I  could 
not  doubt  he  had  given  his  message  correctly. 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"  'It  can't  mean  that  Peggy  has  left  the  boy?* 
cried  Mrs.  Mummer  in  consternation. 

"  'I  don't  know  what  it  means,'  I  answered, 
"but  I  'm  sure  Peg  has  done  the  best  thing  for 
Jacky,  whatever  it  may  have  cost  her.' 

"  'I  Ve  never  doubted  it,'  returned  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer, 'but  where  can  the  dear  lamb  be  ?  That 's 
what  plagues  me/ 

"I  made  no  answer  to  this,  but  sent  her  off  to 
get  the  black  boy  some  food  against  his  trip  back 
with  John,  whom  I  looked  for  momentarily. 

"And  I  was  not  to  be  kept  waiting  long.  He 
came  with  Mark,  both  riding  at  top  speed,  and  for 
a  moment,  when  he  leaped  from  his  horse  and 
took  me  in  his  arms,  I  could  not  stay  my  tears. 
But  I  knew  there  was  no  time  to  waste  on  such 
weakness  and,  drying  my  eyes,  gave  him  all  the 
news  I  had. 

"'I'll  count  on  Peg,'  he  cried,  'and  on  Bill 
Schmuck,  too.  Come,  Mark,  we  must  hurry  after 
them/ 

"John  was  not  the  kind  to  loiter,  but  he  stopped 
long  enough  to  question  Dave  and,  instead  of 
walking,  as  I  expected  they  would  have  to  do,  they 
all  took  horses,  meaning  to  go  by  road  as  far  as 

114 


"Are  they  found?"  I  cried 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARYi 

possible  and  so  save  valuable  time  and  strength. 

"I  wished  them  a  Godspeed  with  a  full  heart  as 
they  galloped  away. 

'  'I  '11  send  you  news,  dear,  as  soon  as  I  have 
any/  were  John's  last  words,  and  once  they  were 
out  of  sight  I  went  into  the  house  to  take  up  my 
weary  task  of  waiting. 

"I  would  now  have  sent  after  Mummer,  hold- 
ing his  errand  useless,  but  the  disappearance  of 
Jacky's  footprints  from  the  trail  made  me  wonder 
if  perchance  the  boy  had  strayed  aside  and 
even  yet  might  be  heard  from  at  some  lonely 
cottage. 

"It  must  have  been  near  five  o'clock  ere  Mark 
returned.  I  had  not  expected  that  he  would  be 
sent  to  bring  the  news. 

"'Have  you  found  them?'  I  asked,  though  I 
knew  my  question  answered  ere  it  was  spoken. 

"  'We  haven't  seen  them,  Bee,'  he  replied,  dis- 
mounting, 'but  we  picked  up  the  trail  again  and 
this  time  Jacky  was  with  them.  It 's  plain  that 
Peg  or  the  Indian  had  carried  the  boy  awhile  and 
that  was  the  reason  his  footprints  vanished/ 

"  Then  Peg  is  with  him  still !'  I  exclaimed, 
overjoyed. 

117 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

"  'Yes,  there 's  no  doubt  of  that/  answered 
Mark. 

"  'I  knew  she  'd  never  desert  the  child/  said 
Mrs.  Mummer,  wiping  away  a  tear.  'My  own 
little  Peggy,  bless  her  heart — '  and  she  stopped, 
knowing  that  to  go  on  would  but  shake  the  cour- 
age of  us  both. 

"  We  had  a  long  search  to  find  the  trail  after 
they  took  to  the  creek/  Mark  explained.  They 
must  have  waded  two  miles  or  more.  But  Bill 
spied  it  at  last,  and  when  I  left  them  the  track 
was  plain  enough.' 

"  'Why  did  you  leave  them?'  I  asked,  for  John 
relied  so  much  upon  Mark  that  I  wondered  at  his 
having  given  up  the  search. 

"  To  tell  the  truth/  he  answered,  'I  was  n't 
anxious  to  come  away,  but  as  both  Bill  and  Cap- 
tain Jack  are  better  at  that  sort  of  thing  than  I, 
it  seemed  natural  that  I  should  be  detailed  for 
other  duty.' 

"  'And  what  is  that?'  I  demanded. 

"  'I  'm  to  escort  you  to  Norristown/  Mark  told 
me,  in  a  tone  meant  to  help  my  courage. 

"  'Norristown/  I  repeated  in  wonder. 

"  'Aye/  he  answered,  'and  we  '11  start  at  once. 
118 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  BEE'S  DIARY 

You  see,  the  track  is  leading  in  that  direction. 
Indeed,  when  I  left  them  they  were  a  good  eight 
miles  on  the  way,  and  Captain  Jack  can  reach  you 
quicker  there  than  he  could  at  Denewood.  He  '11 
come  on  himself  if  he  finds  the  boy  and  in  any 
event  will  send  word  of  what  is  going  forward 
to  the  Tavern  to-night  or  to-morrow  morning. 
He  thought  you  would  like  to  be  as  near  as  you 
could/ 

"  That  I  would !'  I  cried,  realizing  with  a  grate- 
ful heart  that,  through  all  his  anxiety  about  our 
son,  my  husband  still  had  a  thought  for  my  peace 
of  mind.  'We  '11  start  at  once.' 

"  'Not  till  you  have  something  to  eat,  Miss 
Bee/  Mrs.  Mummer  declared  positively,  but 
Mark  and  I  wasted  little  time  and  were  soon  on 
the  way  to  Norristown." 


119 


CHAPTER  X 

OUT   OF  THE   FRYINGPAN 

LEAVING  Bee's  diary  at  this  point  I  must 
now  tell  what  was  happening  to  me  after  I 
had  tried  my  magic  upon  Tiscoquam.  He  stood 
for  a  moment  as  if  half  stunned,  gazing  fixedly  at 
the  mark  upon  his  wrist.  Then  recovering  him- 
self with  an  effort,  he  raised  his  hands,  holding 
the  fingers  so  that  they  overlapped  a  little  and 
placing  his  outstretched  thumbs  against  his  fore- 
head. So  he  remained  for  a  full  minute,  his  eyes 
cast  upon  the  ground  and  his  lips  moving  as  if  he 
murmured  a  prayer. 

"It  is  a  sign,"  he  said  at  length,  lifting  his  head 
and  letting  his  hands  drop  to  his  sides.  "It  is  a 
sign!" 

His  repetition  of  the  words  was  so  solemn  that 
I  looked  for  some  further  explanation;  but  on  a 
sudden,  as  if  he  had  reached  a  decision,  he  left 
me  and  strode  back  to  the  squaw,  cowering  beside 
the  small  fire  she  had  kindled. 

1 20 


OUT  OF  THE  FRYINGPAN 

What  it  portended  I  could  not  guess,  but  I 
watched  the  two,  ready  to  profit  by  anything  that 
favored  our  escape. 

Tiscoquam  talked  rapidly  to  the  Indian  woman, 
who  seemed  to  offer  a  protest  which  her  savage 
mate  quickly  silenced,  and  I  doubted  not  from  his 
manner  that  he  was  giving  her  orders  even  while 
he  busied  himself  packing  his  pouch  with  parched 
corn  taken  from  her  bundle. 

At  length  he  stood  ready. 

"The  pale-face  maiden  goes  with  Lapowissa," 
he  called,  indicating  the  squaw,  and  without  an- 
other word  he  started  off  at  a  rapid  trot  and  dis- 
appeared into  the  forest. 

I  could  scarce  say  what  I  had  expected,  but  my 
spirits  drooped  again  as  I  realized  that  we  had 
but  exchanged  one  captor  for  another. 

True,  I  was  less  afraid  of  the  squaw  and 
counted  upon  befooling  her  more  easily  than  I 
could  Tiscoquam  should  opportunity  arise,  of 
which  I  had  little  hope.  We  were  quite  helpless 
in  the  forest,  for  I  knew  not  even  in  which  direc- 
tion Denewood  lay  and  must,  perforce,  follow  the 
Indian  woman  wherever  she  might  lead. 

Whatever  the  outcome,  I  thought  it  unwise  to 

121 


PEG  O'  [THE  RING 

show  aught  of  hostility  to  our  new  guide, 
but  rather  the  reverse,  so  I  walked  slowly  toward 
her,  trying  in  every  way  I  could  to  appear 
friendly. 

She  was  repacking  her  belongings  in  great 
haste,  eying  me  furtively  the  while,  much  as 
though  she  expected  me  to  spring  upon  her.  In- 
deed, as  I  drew  near  she  leaped  away  with  such 
evident  terror  that  I  trembled  lest  she  disappear 
into  the  woods,  leaving  us  without  guidance  or 
food. 

I  retreated  at  once  and  was  relieved  when,  after 
a  moment's  uncertainty,  she  returned  and  finally 
took  up  her  bundle. 

Inviting  me  to  follow  with  a  wave  of  her  hand 
she  hurried  off  in  a  direction  opposite  to  that 
taken  by  Tiscoquam,  yet  not  the  way  we  had 
come. 

I  roused  little  Jack,  who  had  dropped  off  to 
sleep  and,  in  my  alarm  lest  we  should  lose  sight 
of  the  woman,  picked  him  up  in  my  arms  and 
started  after  her. 

"Set  me  down,  Aunty  Peg,"  he  cried  vigor- 
ously. "Dost  think  I  am  Baby  Allen  to  be  carted 
about  like  a  sack  of  meal." 

122 


OUT  OF  THE  FRYINGPAN 

"Nay  then,"  I  answered  meekly,  "you  let  Tis- 
coquam  carry  you." 

"I  made  believe  he  was  my  horse,  and  that  I 
rode  to  hunt  the  deer,"  the  boy  contradicted 
sturdily.  "Where  is  Tiscoquam?" 

"He  has  gone  on,"  I  answered,  "and  we  must 
hasten,  lest  we  be  left  behind." 

Jacky,  once  he  was  wide  awake,  made  better 
going  than  I,  who  had  had  no  rest  and  was  hard 
put  to  it  to  keep  up  with  the  timid  savage  woman. 

She  shuffled  ahead  at  a  surprising  rate,  and  the 
more  I  hurried  to  catch  up  with  her  the  faster 
was  the  pace  she  set,  till  I  began  to  think  I  should 
drop  from  exhaustion.  Then  it  occurred  to  me 
that  she  had  no  more  intention  now  of  letting  me 
approach  her  than  she  had  had  in  camp.  As  I 
increased  my  effort  to  come  even  with  her  she 
went  the  faster,  in  order  to  keep  me  at  what  she 
considered  a  safe  distance.  Convinced  of  this, 
I  began  to  go  more  slowly  and  was  vastly  re- 
lieved to  find  that  she  did  the  same. 

In  this  manner  we  went  on,  while  the  sun  sank 
lower  and  lower,  till  it  was  nigh  its  setting. 
Wearily  I  plodded,  giving  Jacky  a  hand  now  and 
then  to  help  him  over  a  fallen  log,  and  wishing 

123 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

with  all  my  heart  that  we  would  come  to  the  In- 
dian camp  to  which  I  was  certain  we  were  being 
led. 

Suddenly  to  my  vast  surprise  we  reached  the 
edge  of  the  forest  and  looked  out  upon  tilled 
fields  and  a  cluster  of  houses.  The  squaw,  still 
keeping  her  distance,  motioned  me  that  my  way 
lay  toward  the  village  and  then,  turning,  with 
evident  relief  to  be  rid  of  us,  she  vanished  into 
the  woods  as  had  Tiscoquam. 

Unprepared  for  this  abandonment  I  called  after 
her,  running  to  the  spot  where  she  had  disap- 
peared. But  I  stopped  there,  realizing  the  use- 
lessness  of  attempting  to  follow  her.  What  more 
could  she  do  for  me?  It  was  plain  now  that  we 
had  been  set  upon  our  way  to  Denewood,  whether 
by  Tiscoquam's  orders  or  not  I  could  only  guess, 
but  here  was  a  place  where  horses  might  be  ob- 
tained and  much  time  and  weary  walking  saved. 

I  had  no  idea  where  we  were,  but  however  near 
or  far  it  was,  I  was  firm  in  my  determination  to 
reach  Germantown  that  night.  I  had  no  mind 
to  leave  Bee  a  prey  to  anxiety  a  moment  longer 
than  could  be  helped.  I  knew  only  too  well  that 
the  boy's  disappearance  had  caused  her  many 

124 


hours  of  suffering,  but  I  hoped  that  my  absence 
had  led  all  to  conclude  that  I  was  with  him,  and 
thus  afforded  her  a  crumb  of  comfort. 

"Come,  Jacky,"  I  cried,  taking  his  hand  and 
starting  for  the  road  before  us,  "come  along. 
We  '11  soon  be  home  again." 

"Nay,  I  do  not  wish  to  leave  the  forest,"  he  an- 
swered, holding  back  sturdily.  "There  are  no 
deer  at  home.  Only  cows  and  oxen,  and  those 
Mummer  will  not  let  me  shoot.  I  '11  stay  awhile 
with  Tiscoquam." 

"But  we  have  n't  seen  so  much  as  the  tail  of  a 
deer  all  day,"  I  coaxed,  for  I  had  no  wish  to  in- 
crease my  difficulties  by  being  forced  to  drag  a 
reluctant  lad.  "Beside,"  I  went  on,  "we  must 
find  shelter  for  the  night." 

"Tiscoquam  will  build  a  lodge,"  he  insisted. 

"But  Tiscoquam  is  far  away  and  has  taken  his 
bow  and  arrows  with  him,"  I  explained.  "How 
can  we  kill  a  deer  should  we  come  upon  one  ?" 

To  this  he  had  no  answer  ready  and  although 
still  reluctant  he  suffered  me  to  lead  him  forward. 

As  we  entered  the  little  hamlet  I  bethought  me 
that  I  should  do  well  to  ask  help  at  one  of  the 
more  substantial  houses  rather  than  be  delayed  by 

125 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

making  explanations  to  those  who  could  not  af- 
ford to  furnish  the  horses  I  required^  so,  with 
this  thought  in  mind,  I  chose  a  fine  dwelling  set  a 
goodly  distance  back  from  the  road.  There  was 
a  sizable  field  in  front,  dotted  here  and  there 
with  great  elms,  and  behind,  a  huge  barn  with 
many  smaller  outbuildings.  The  gate  stood  hos- 
pitably ajar  so  that  I  entered  with  a  light  heart, 
encouraged  by  the  evident  prosperity  of  the  place 
and  sure  that  I  should  meet  with  gentle  folk 
who  would  respond  promptly  to  my  appeal. 

I  mounted  two  or  three  steps  to  the  portico  and 
lifting  the  knocker  struck  twice,  listening  to  the 
dull  boom  of  the  blows  echoing  about  the  rooms 
inside.  For  a  moment  the  hollowness  of  the 
sound  gave  the  impression  that  the  house  was  de- 
serted, but  I  had  little  time  to  speculate  upon  this, 
for  the  door  opened  quite  suddenly,  only  to  be 
closed  again  with  a  sharp  bang. 

I  had  caught  sight  of  the  wizened,  wrinkled 
face  of  a  man  dressed  in  the  plain  drab  garb  of 
a  Quaker,  but  I  was  so  surprised  that  I  stood 
gaping,  till  a  voice  from  within  brought  me  to  my 
senses. 

'Thee  cannot  expect  aught  who  have  done 
126 


OUT  OF  THE  FRYINGPAN 

naught  to  earn  it.  So  think  not  to  fill  my  ears 
with  tales  of  thy  necessities." 

Those  were  the  words  I  heard  spoken  in  a  high- 
pitched,  querulous  tone  such  as  might  be  used  to 
an  importunate  beggar,  and  I  confess  that  they 
angered  me  for  the  moment. 

"I  'm  not  come  to  ask  alms,"  I  fair  shouted,  and 
catching  again  at  the  knocker  I  beat  thrice  upon 
the  door  with  all  my  might. 

"Mayhap  thee  comes  to  rob !"  I  heard  the  voice 
exclaim. 

"Nay,"  I  replied,  "I  '11  pay  in  good  hard  coin 
for  any  service  I  ask  of  you." 

There  was  a  moment  of  silence  and  then  the 
door  opened  a  crack  and  the  wrinkled  face  ap- 
peared again,  grinning  at  me,  and  as  I  returned 
the  look  it  winked  slyly  with  one  eye. 

"Is  there  any  one  with  thee?"  he  asked  cau- 
tiously. 

"None  but  a  little  boy,"  I  answered,  "scarce  big 
enough  to  fright  you." 

The  door  opened  now  to  its  full  width  and  I 
saw  standing  before  me  a  little  old  man,  whose 
clothing,  frayed  and  none  too  clean,  showed  any- 
thing rather  than  the  look  of  prosperity  I  had  ex- 

127 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

pected.  He  still  grinned,  but  I  was  to  learn  that 
this  expression  was  habitual  and  meant  none  of 
the  mirth  it  seemed  to  signify.  He  looked  me 
over  carefully  from  head  to  foot,  then  he  spoke, 
but  more  to  himself  than  to  me. 

"I  '11  ring  thy  coin  before  I  bargain,"  he  mut- 
tered. 

"I  said  naught  of  payment  in  advance,"  I  re- 
torted, still  angered  by  his  manner  toward  me. 

"An  I  get  no  sight  of  the  color  of  thee's  money 
how  am  I  to  know  't  is  aught  but  shin  plaisters?" 

And  indeed  as  I  had  not  a  penny-piece  upon  my 
person  I  had  to  admit  to  myself  that  his  point  was 
well  taken.  Still  I  had  no  mind  to  spend  the 
night  in  argument,  and  seeing  another  well-kept 
place  not  far  away,  I  decided  the  best  thing  to  do, 
notwithstanding  my  fatigue,  was  to  seek  help  else- 
where. 

"I  give  you  good  even,"  I  said,  and  taking 
Jack's  hand  started  to  move  off. 

"Hoity  toity !"  the  man  exclaimed.  "I  did  not 
say  I  would  not  help  thee.  Be  not  so  quick  to 
anger.  Hast  never  heard  that  overhaste  churns 
bad  butter?" 

In  truth  I  had  not  heard  that  wise  saw  be- 
128 


OUT  OF  THE  FRYINGPAN 

fore,  but  those  were  the  words  upon  the  piece  of 
paper  I  had  taken  from  Jacky  that  day,  which  still 
lay  hid  within  my  pocket.  That  the  man  should 
have  hit  upon  that  expression  made  me  pause  a 
moment  in  very  surprise. 

"I  asked  not  to  handle  thy  money,"  he  went  on. 
"I  did  but  wish  thee  to  show  me  somewhat  of 
value  to  prove  that  thee  can  pay  what  thee  prom- 
ises. Thy  rags  are  a  poor  testimony  in  thy  fa- 
vor," he  ended  sourly,  and  this  remark  made  me 
think  of  my  appearance  for  the  first  time. 

I  looked  down  at  my  dress  with  a  feeling  akin 
to  dismay.  It  was  in  tatters  at  the  hem,  and  was 
muddied  and  stained  with  blood-root  into  the  bar- 
gain. My  hands  were  black  and  scratched,  my 
shoes  and  stockings  soiled,  and  I  doubted  not  my 
face  was  in  like  case,  while  my  hair  hung  in  tan- 
gles. I  was  not  a  figure  to  inspire  confidence 
and  the  remnant  of  my  anger  dropped  away,  for  I 
felt  the  man's  suspicions  in  a  measure  were  justi- 
fied. 

"If  I  can  show  you  aught  of  value  will  you  sup- 
ply me  with  horses  to  take  us  to  my  cousin's  in 
Germantown  to-night?"  I  asked  after  a  moment's 
hesitation. 

129 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"To  Germantown,  this  night!"  the  old  man  ex- 
claimed. "Nay  now,  't  is  out  of  all  reason.  If 
thee  has  money  why  does  thee  not  rest  at  the 
Tavern  like  honest  folk  and  go  forward  upon  thy 
journey  by  the  light  of  day?  It  is  a  good  three 
hours'  hard  riding  from  here  over  roads  that 
are  none  too  easy  traveled  in  broad  sun." 

"I  must  get  the  boy  safe  home  to-night,"  I  de- 
clared stubbornly,  "and  I  stand  to  haggle  at  no 
price  within  reason  to  be  taken  there." 

"  'T  will  cost  thee  double  fare,"  he  muttered 
after  a  moment  of  consideration,  "and  thee  must 
agree  that  the  horses  and  the  lad  shall  be  housed 
and  fed  at  thee's  expense.  He  hath  an  unchas- 
tened  appetite,"  he  added  under  his  breath. 

All  that  would  be  looked  to,  I  assured  him. 

"So  far  so  good,"  he  answered;  "but  before  I 
order  the  nags,  I  must  see  an  earnest  of  thy  abil- 
ity to  pay  the  shot." 

Now  the  only  thing  I  had  of  value  was  my 
precious  ring  which  had  stood  me  in  such  good 
stead  that  day,  and  knowing  that  it  was  worth 
many  times  any  fare  he  might  ask,  I  held  out  my 
hand  to  show  it  to  him. 

130 


OUT  OF  THE  FRYINGPAN 

"Here  is  sufficient  worth  to  buy  your  horses  if 
need  be,"  I  said  confidently. 

He  stooped  and  looked  at  the  ring,  then  shook 
his  head  disparagingly. 

"  'T  is  naught  but  brass,"  he  grunted.  "Didst 
think  thee  could  befool  an  old  man's  eye?" 

"Nay,"  I  retorted,  angered  again,  "'tis  of 
great  value.  If  you  cannot  believe  your  eyes,  try 
the  weight  of  it  in  your  hand.  No  brass  was  ever 
of  such  heaviness."  And  foolishly  I  slipped  the 
ring  from  my  finger  and  laid  it  upon  his  extended 
palm. 

No  sooner  had  his  fingers  closed  upon  it  than 
he  whipped  back  into  the  house  and  clapped  to 
the  door  in  my  face. 


CHAPTER  XI 

A   PAIR  OF   KNAVES 

SO  bewildered  was  I  at  this  sudden  turn  of  af- 
fairs that  I  seemed  bereft  of  all  power  to 
move,  and  stood  staring  at  the  closed  door  as  if  I 
could  scarce  believe  my  eyes.  The  unexpected- 
ness of  the  man's  action  took  me  so  completely 
by  surprise  that  I  looked  at  the  finger  upon  which 
I  was  wont  to  wear  the  ring  to  make  sure  I  had 
not  dreamed  it  all.  But  the  rattle  of  the  chain 
barring  the  door  brought  me  to  my  senses,  and  I 
heard  the  quick  patter  of  the  Quaker's  retreating 
footsteps  and  a  low  chuckle,  as  if  he  laughed  to 
himself. 

I  stepped  close  to  the  door,  meaning  to  ply  the 
knocker  and  demand  the  return  of  my  property, 
but  ere  I  raised  my  hand,  I  heard  a  muffled  cry  of 
exultation  and  the  sound  of  another  masculine 
voice  expressing  amazement,  though  I  caught  not 
the  words. 

Even  then,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  I  knew  there 
132 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

were  two  to  deal  with,  I  was  little  minded  to  go 
away  and  leave  my  ring  behind  me,  for  the  day 
was  past  when  a  lawless  soldiery  robbed  right 
and  left  while  the  victim  said,  "Thank  you,"  so 
long  as  his  head  rested  safe  upon  his  shoulders. 

But  by  now  the  voices  inside  were  raised  to  a 
high  pitch  and  I  could  hear  distinctly. 

"You  say  there  was  a  boy  with  her  ?" 

"Yea,"  was  the  reply  from  the  old  man  I  had 
seen. 

"Oh,  fool!  fool!"  came  the  angered  exclama- 
tion, "what  good  is  the  ring  without  the  boy? 
Have  you  forgot  that  there  is  a  price  upon  his 
head?  Come,  we  must  catch  them  ere  they're 
lost  to  us."  And  as  he  spoke  I  heard  heavy  foot- 
steps running  along  bare  floors. 

On  the  instant  all  thought  of  my  ring  vanished. 
Nor  did  I  pause  to  speculate  upon  the  cause  of 
the  man's  wanting  little  Jack.  The  words  I  had 
heard  left  no  doubt  of  the  determined  purpose 
behind  them,  and  I  was  deeply  alarmed  at  the 
menace  they  contained.  I  grasped  the  boy  by  the 
wrist,  and  rushing  him  down  the  steps  of  the 
portico,  dragged  him  around  the  corner  of  the 
house  even  as  the  chain  rattled  at  the  door. 

133 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

A  clump  of  lilac  bushes  all  a-bloom  stood  near, 
and  the  child,  catching  something  of  my  fright, 
needed  no  warning  to  drop  to  his  knees  and  fol- 
low me  quickly  beneath  its  fragrant  shelter. 

"Lie  close,  Jacky,"  I  whispered,  stifling  as  best 
I  could  the  gasping  of  my  hurried  breathing. 

The  sun  was  set  by  this  time  and  the  fast-fad- 
ing light  gave  me  hope  that  we  would  escape  de- 
tection, but  I  dared  not  think  what  danger  might 
confront  us  if  we  were  captured. 

The  clash  of  the  door  as  it  burst  open,  and  the 
noise  of  heavy  feet  hurrying  down  the  steps,  set 
my  heart  to  beating  quickly,  but  I  plucked  up  cour- 
age enough  to  raise  my  head  and  peep  through 
the  leaves.  I  saw  a  man,  apparently  young  and 
fashionably  dressed,  running  down  the  long  path 
to  the  roadway,  and  behind  him  shuffled  the  old 
Quaker  who  had  robbed  me.  At  the  gate  the 
foremost  figure  stopped,  looking  eagerly  to  right 
and  left,  and  from  his  gestures  I  judged  he  was 
greatly  excited. 

I  watched,  hoping  that  they  would  take  to  the 
highway  in  search  of  us,  for  I  meant  to  cross  the 
fields  and  seek  a  hiding-place  farther  away  at  the 
first  chance.  But  they  loitered  near  the  gate  for 

134 


in 


'Nay,  there  's  a  fortune  in  the  ring !"  protested  the  old  man 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

five  minutes  or  so,  and  then,  to  my  chagrin  and 
terror,  started  back  toward  the  house,  the 
younger  man  walking  quickly,  while  the  old 
Quaker,  scarce  able  to  keep  up,  hurried  at  his  side. 
Near  the  house  they  stopped  short  and  their 
angry  words  came  to  me  clearly. 

"A  hoop  to  the  barrel !"  cried  the  younger  man 
bitterly.  'T  is  the  toast  everywhere.  You  're 
not  worth  your  salt,  Jasper  Pilgrim,  else  this  bar- 
rel had  been  naught  but  a  bundle  of  rattling  staves 
long  ago." 

"Can  I  be  blamed  if  the  States  agree  upon  a 
Constitution?"  demanded  the  Quaker,  whose 
name  I  had  just  heard.  "I  did  what  I  could  in 
these  parts,  and  spent  the  King's  money  as  thee 
told  me,  but—" 

"There  '11  be  no  more  money  to  spend/'  the 
other  cut  in  violently.  "The  King's  guineas  will 
not  be  so  easy  come  by  in  the  future.  If  this  con- 
stitution be  passed,  't  is  good-by  to  my  bread  and 
butter, —  and  't  is  a  long  way  to  England." 

"Nay,  there  's  a  fortune  in  the  ring,"  protested 
the  old  man.  "We  have  but  to  find  a  boy — " 

"But  you  've  lost  the  boy,"  the  other  burst  out 
wrath  fully.  "Who  would  have  thought  to  see 

137 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

you  let  five  thousand  pounds  slip  through  your 
crooked  fingers?" 

"Thee  knows  I  am  no  believer  in  force,"  whined 
the  Quaker.  "The  Society  of  Friends — " 

"Quit  your  cant,"  snarled  his  companion. 
"Dost  think  I  do  not  know  you  for  a  war-time 
Quaker,  who  learned  his  'thees'  and  'thous'  to 
save  his  pocket  and  his  skin." 

"Thee  broke  in  upon  my  words,"  declared  Jas- 
per Pilgrim  with  a  show  of  spirit.  "I  was  saying 
if  we  could  but  find  a  boy  of  about  the  same  age 
who  would  be  the  wiser  when  we  had  the  ring  to 
prove  his  birth?" 

"Now  that 's  well  thought  of,"  declared  the 
younger  man  musingly.  "Let's  see  the  ring," 
and  he  held  out  his  hand. 

"Nay,  there 's  no  need  for  thee  to  trouble. 
'T  is  safe,"  answered  the  Quaker,  drawing  back. 

"Keep  it,  then,"  growled  his  companion,  turn- 
ing to  enter  the  house,  "but  I  mean  to  have  the 
real  boy  who  came  with  it,  though  I  spend  the 
night  in  searching.  How  looked  the  girl?" 

"A  saucy-faced  wench,"  answered  Pilgrim. 
"She  was  ragged  enough  to  have  come  from  Can- 
ada, but  the  Indian  said  naught  of  her." 

138 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

I  strained  my  ears  for  their  next  words,  but 
they  entered  the  house  and  I  heard  no  more  of 
their  talk. 

I  had  caught  enough  of  their  conversation  to 
set  me  thinking.  Had  Tiscoquam  told  his  tale 
of  making  Jacky  a  chief  of  the  Iroquois  to  de- 
ceive me,  and  was  he  really  in  the  pay  of  these 
men,  who  for  some  evil  design  wished  to  gain 
possession  of  the  boy?  I  thought  not,  but  what 
possible  connection  could  there  be  between  Jacky 
Travers  and  my  mysterious  ring,  which  had  been 
in  my  possession  since  before  his  birth?  It  was 
many  a  day  before  those  questions  were  answered, 
and  at  the  moment  I  had  other  things  to  ponder 
over,  though  my  head  swam  with  the  possibilities 
they  suggested. 

One  thing  at  least  was  very  certain.  Little 
Jack  was  in  peril ;  I  had  saved  him  from  one  dan- 
ger only  to  fall  into  another,  and  it  was  the  white 
men,  not  the  savage,  in  whom  I  saw  most  to 
dread. 

Now,  for  the  time  being  at  least,  we  seemed 
safe.  There  was  no  search  made  about  the 
house,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  two  rascals  had 
concluded  that  we  had  gone  away  immediately 

139 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

the  older  man  had  shut  the  door  in  my  face.  I 
was  beginning  to  wonder  if  we  might  not  steal 
out  in  safety,  when  the  younger  man  came  from 
the  portico  and,  walking  rapidly,  disappeared 
down  the  road.  I  was  quite  sure  he  had  begun  a 
search  for  us  in  the  little  town.  After  this  I 
dared  not  move  while  it  was  light,  so  taking  Jacky 
in  my  arms  I  sat  as  patiently  as  might  be,  waiting 
for  darkness  to  come.  The  boy,  worn  out  by  the 
excitement  and  fatigue  of  the  day,  soon  fell 
asleep;  and  it  was  all  I  could  do,  in  spite  of  my 
anxiety,  to  keep  my  eyes  open,  for  I  too  was  feel- 
ing the  strain  of  what  I  had  been  through. 

At  length,  save  for  the  afterglow  in  the  west, 
the  day  was  gone,  and  here  and  there  among  the 
dark  shadows  I  saw  the  glimmer  of  lighted  can- 
dles shining  through  the  windows  of  the  houses, 
and  each  of  these  gave  me  food  for  thought.  The 
time  had  come  when  I  must  go  a-knocking  at  an- 
other door  and  I  sought  to  make  my  selection  ere 
I  left  my  place  of  concealment. 

One  difficulty  lay  before  me.  The  man  who  had 
left  the  place  might  be  anywhere  in  that  little  ham- 
let, and  I  dared  not  take  the  road  openly  for  fear 
of  meeting  with  him.  Nor  was  it  out  of  the  ques- 

140 


tion  that  he  might  have  set  others  on  the  watch 
for  us,  and  though  my  reason  told  me  he  could 
scarce  do  us  much  harm  if  we  met  in  the  midst  of 
the  village,  yet  his  voice  and  manner  had  shown 
so  grim  a  determination  that  I  dreaded  to  risk 
Jacky's  falling  into  his  hands. 

Where  then  might  I  go  in  safety  in  that  strange 
town,  the  very  name  of  which  I  did  not  know  ? 

As  if  in  answer  to  my  question  a  light  showed 
suddenly  through  the  window  of  a  small  house, 
but  a  little  way  beyond.  It  lay  in  a  straight  line 
from  us  and  to  reach  it  I  had  but  to  cross  the 
fields  and  not  go  near  the  road  at  all.  This  suited 
me  to  perfection,  and  waking  little  Jack,  who  was 
the  best  of  children  not  to  have  turned  peevish 
with  all  he  had  had  to  endure,  I  cautioned  him  to 
go  very  quietly  and  we  moved  stealthily  from  un- 
der our  friendly  lilac  bush. 

While  we  were  within  hearing  we  picked  our 
way  with  all  care  for  fear  of  giving  an  alarm, 
but  at  length  the  big  house  and  its  bigger  barn 
were  dark  shadows  behind  us  and  I  felt  free  to 
push  briskly  ahead. 

We  climbed  two  or  three  fences  and  crossed 
one  wide  field  that  had  just  been  plowed,  but  the 

141 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

light  gleaming  brightly  through  the  window 
seemed  to  invite  us  to  come  on. 

To  find  the  entrance  we  had  to  turn  the  corner 
of  the  cottage,  and  out  of  sight  of  the  friendly 
light,  I  knocked  anxiously,  wondering  what  my 
summons  would  bring  this  time.  But  in  a  mo- 
ment my  fears  were  put  at  rest,  for  the  door 
opened  and  there,  holding  aloft  the  candle,  was  a 
stout,  motherly-looking  woman,  not  unlike  Mrs. 
Mummer,  although  so  big  was  she,  that  she  would 
have  made  two  of  her,  or  any  other  female. 
However,  she  appeared  most  kindly  and  seemed 
to  radiate  happiness  and  comfort.  Indeed  at 
sight  of  her  I  nigh  wept  out  of  very  thankfulness, 
for  here  was  one  upon  whom  I  felt  I  could  rely 
to  do  her  best  for  me. 

"Oh,  please,"  I  faltered,  "won't  you  help  me  to 
get  this  boy  home  to  his  mother?" 

"Aye,  to  be  sure  I  will !"  she  answered  heartily. 
"How  comes  it  he  was  not  tucked  up  'twixt  sheets 
an  hour  since?  But  don't  ye  answer,  dearie; 
you  're  tired.  I  can  see  it  on  you,  and  there  '11  be 
time  a-plenty.  Come  ye  in." 

"Oh,  thank  you !"  I  exclaimed,  cheered  by  her 
hearty  comforting  words,  "but  I  must  get  to  Ger- 

1421 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

mantown  to-night,  and  I  must  start  at  once.  You 
see  the  boy's  mother  will  be  half-crazed  at  the 
loss  of  him." 

"Ah,  deary  me,  the  poor  mother !"  she  cried  in 
sympathy;  "but  Germantown  is  a  weary  way 
from  this  village  of  Norristown  and  't  will  take 
time  to  get  ready." 

"Are  we  in  Norristown?"  I  asked,  for  if  this 
were  true  we  were  a  good  baker's  dozen  miles 
from  Denewood. 

"Aye,"  she  answered,  "but  come  ye  in.  You  '11 
be  in  need  of  a  sup  of  something  against  your 
journey." 

We  followed  her  into  the  house  and  Jacky  at 
least  took  kindly  to  her  suggestion  of  supper. 

"I  should  like  some  ginger-cake,"  he  said  cheer- 
fully. "A  big  piece.  I  'm  hungry." 

"And  ye  shall  have,"  exclaimed  the  woman, 
beaming  upon  him.  "But  how  knew  ye  I  baked 
a  loaf  this  day?" 

"I  smelled  it,"  Jacky  explained  promptly,  at 
which  she  gave  a  great  laugh  which  had  the  ef- 
fect of  making  me  too  feel  cheerful.  But  I  was 
neither  conscious  of  hunger  nor  really  interested 
in  anything  outside  of  getting  back  to  Denewood. 

143 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

I  was  nigh  at  the  end  of  my  endurance  and  felt 
that  I  must  keep  all  the  strength  I  had  left  fixed 
upon  that  one  object.  I  dared  not,  for  my  peace 
of  mind,  dwell  upon  Bee  and  her  anxiety,  but  I 
still  meant  to  get  the  boy  back  to  her  just  as  soon 
as  I  could  accomplish  it. 

"Can  you  send  us  to  Germantown  to-night, 
ma'am  ?"  I  asked,  as  I  followed  her  into  the  neat 
kitchen. 

"To  be  sure,"  she  answered  readily,  and  then 
shouted  at  the  top  of  her  lungs,  "Otto !  Otto !"  I 
judged  the  one  she  called  must  be  far  away,  but 
to  my  surprise,  a  shock  of  red  hair  protruded 
slowly  through  the  doorway  of  an  adjoining  room 
and  the  face  of  a  boy  came  into  view.  It  re- 
minded me  of  a  tortoise  sticking  its  head  out  of  a 
shell. 

"Ya,  mommie,"  said  the  head,  pleasantly,  giv- 
ing me  a  merry  wink. 

"Was  ye  there  all  this  while?"  demanded  the 
woman. 

"Ya,  mommie,"  the  boy  answered,  grinning  and 
winking  at  me  rapidly. 

"Then  take  yourself  off  to  Mrs.  Truebread  and 
144 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

tell  her  I  want  the  loan  of  her  saddle.  I  'm  for 
Germantown." 

"So!"  exclaimed  the  boy,  his  eyes  widening, 
"und  where  ist  your  own  saddle?" 

"Now  ain't  he  stupid?"  she  remarked,  turning 
to  me  with  a  gesture  of  hopelessness,  while  Otto 
continued  to  grin  and  wink.  "  But  he  can't  help 
it.  He  's  sort  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch,  if  he  is 
my  own  son  and  I  pure  Scotch  on  my  mother's 
side."  Then  to  the  boy.  "If  I  take  my  saddle, 
what 's  the  young  lady  to  ride  ?  Off  with  you 
now  to  Mrs.  Truebread  and  come  not  back  with- 
out a  saddle  or  I  take  a  besom  to  you." 

"Ya,  mommie,"  replied  the  boy  good  naturedly, 
"but  I  t'ought  you  'd  ride  bodkin,"  and,  still  grin- 
ning, he  withdrew  his  head  slowly  turtle-wise. 

"And  break  the  horse's  back,"  snorted  his 
mother,  "with  my  eighteen  stone!" 

Meanwhile  as  she  talked  she  had  set  out  supper 
for  us,  with  a  plentiful  supply  of  fine  ginger-cake 
and  a  big  pitcher  of  sweet  milk,  but  though  I  was 
glad  to  see  Jacky  eat  his  fill,  and  found  him  the 
better  for  it,  I  could  in  no  wise  choke  down  even 
a  small  portion  of  the  food,  though  the  woman 

H5 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

coaxed  me,  giving  much  good  advice  against  the 
fatigue  of  the  coming  journey  on  an  empty  stom- 
ach. I  tried,  but  I  could  not  swallow,  and  at 
last,  seeing  my  vain  endeavor,  she  stopped  her 
urging. 

"Then  if  ye  '11  not  eat,  I  'm  sure  you  '11  feel  bet- 
ter for  a  bit  of  tidying  up,"  she  said  finally,  and 
this  suggestion  I  hailed  with  pleasure,  though  it 
seemed  to  make  some  explanation  of  my  dishev- 
eled condition  necessary. 

I  told  her  somewhat  of  our  adventures  during 
that  long  day,  and  she  listened  with  exclamations 
of  wonder  here  and  there,  and  at  the  end  gave 
me  much  praise  of  my  fortitude;  but  of  the  ring 
I  had  said  nothing,  accounting  for  our  escape 
from  Tiscoquam  by  the  remark  that  the  Indian 
had  evidently  changed  his  mind,  finding  us  not 
worth  the  trouble  we  would  bring  upon  him. 

When  my  face  was  washed  and  my  hair 
smoothed  a  little,  I  felt  distinctly  better,  but  I 
was  in  no  mood  to  delay  our  going,  and  when 
Otto  suddenly  popped  into  the  kitchen,  showing 
me  his  full,  gangling  length,  I  was  overjoyed  at 
his  announcement  that  the  horses  were  ready. 

But  the  woman  was  not  for  going  forth  un- 
146 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

prepared.  She  doled  out  garments  for  me 
against  the  cold  of  the  night  air,  and  much  to 
Jacky's  disgust,  insisted  that  he  wear  a  long,  knit- 
ted muffler,  which  she  wrapped  and  folded  about 
him  till  he  looked  like  a  cocoon.  For  herself,  she 
put  on  a  great  homespun  cloak  and  at  length  was 
ready. 

She  mounted  by  the  block  while  Otto  held  her 
horse  and  then,  taking  little  Jacky  up  in  front, 
bade  me  mount  also.  Otto  held  my  stirrup  and 
a  moment  later  we  had  passed  out  of  the  circle  of 
light  from  the  lanthorn  and  were  moving  slowly 
along  a  path  toward  the  road. 

My  heart  felt  easier.  At  last  we  were  home- 
ward bound  with  the  seeming  assurance  that  we 
would  arrive  at  Denewood.  The  horse  under  me 
was  a  stout  one,  and,  though  Norristown  was  far 
from  Germantown,  we  should  reach  there  ere 
midnight,  and  Bee  would  have  her  boy  again. 

We  turned  into  the  highway  and  soon  ap- 
proached the  house  where  I  had  lost  my  ring,  but 
I  had  ceased  to  feel  fear ;  rather  was  I  angry  that 
the  sham  Quaker  had  robbed  me  of  it.  I  was  in 
two  minds  about  broaching  the  subject  to  the  good 
woman  beside  me;  but  seeing  that  I  knew  the 

147 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

man's  name  and  where  he  lived,  I  resolved  to  keep 
my  own  counsel. 

As  we  passed  I  looked  across  the  field  to  the 
irregular  shape  of  the  buildings,  showing  like  a 
silhouette  against  the  sky.  I  meant  to  visit  that 
house  upon  the  morrow  with  one  who  would  brook 
no  fooling. 

"I  wonder  will  he  slam  the  door  in  John  Trav- 
ers'  face  ?"  I  thought  with  a  smile,  and  then  added 
almost  aloud,  "I  '11  have  my  ring  again,  Jasper 
Pilgrim." 

But  as  we  left  the  place  behind  us  the  fire  of  my 
resentment  died  quickly  and  I  began  to  realize 
how  weary  was  my  body.  The  woman  beside 
me  chatted  pleasantly  about  this  or  that,  but 
I  scarce  heeded  her.  My  head  swam  strangely 
and  it  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  my  saddle.  I 
began  to  wonder  if  my  strength  would  hold  out 
till  I  reached  Denewood,  and  was  forced  to  sum- 
mon all  my  fortitude  and  determination  to  see 
the  matter  through. 

Presently  we  left  the  little  town  and  turned  in 
the  direction  of  home  and  I  saw  ahead  two  dim 
figures  on  horseback  approaching  us.  But  I 
cared  not,  having  scarce  sufficient  interest  to  pull 

148 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

my  horse  to  one  side  behind  my  companion  in 
order  to  clear  half  the  road. 

We  were  moving  at  a  foot  pace  as  we  came 
abreast  of  the  strangers,  and  to  my  surprise  they 
reined  in  their  horses. 

"Your  pardon,"  called  a  man's  voice  in  the 
darkness,  "but  we  are  looking  for  a  young  girl 
and—" 

His  sentence  was  never  finished,  for  I  knew  in 
a  moment  who  it  was  that  spoke. 

"Mark!     Mark!"  I  cried.     "I  'm  here." 

"Oh,  Peggy,  is  Jacky  with  you?"  exclaimed 
Bee,  who  was  the  other  figure,  and  even  at  that 
instant  of  joyous  recognition  I  realized  with  hor- 
ror how  near  we  had  been  to  passing  each  other 
and  never  knowing  it. 

But  this  was  only  a  fleeting  shadow.  I  was 
overwhelmed  with  the  sense  of  joy  and  thank- 
fulness that  the  boy  was  safe  at  last. 

"Yes,  he  's  here,  Bee,"  I  answered,  and  I  saw 
Mark  jump  from  his  horse  and  come  to  my  side. 

"Sure,  he  's  here,  ma'am,"  the  woman  called, 
and  I  heard  Jacky  himself  call,  "Mover !"  rather 
sleepily,  then  everything  became  jumbled  in  my 
head. 

149 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

It  must  have  been  because  I  was  so  exhausted 
that  I  let  myself  go,  when  at  last  all  was  well. 
That  is  the  only  way  I  can  explain  how  it  came 
about  that  I,  who  had  never  fainted  before  in  my 
life,  suddenly  felt  my  senses  slipping  from  me, 
and  toppled  off  my  horse  into  Mark's  arms. 
My  responsibility  was  at  an  end.  Mark  was 
there  to  take  care  of  us.  Bee  had  Jacky  back 
again — and  what  I  wanted  most  was  to  go  to 
sleep. 

The  next  I  knew  I  was  flat  on  my  back  at  the 
side  of  the  road  lying  on  Bee's  riding-cloak  and 
she  was  bending  over  me  with  one  arm  around 
Jacky. 

"I  '11  go  and  find  a  coach,  Bee,"  I  heard  Mark 
saying. 

"The  Tavern  is  but  a  short  way  back,"  the 
woman  cut  in.  "Stay  you  here  and  I  '11  return 
and  send  something  after  you  to  carry  the  child. 
Sure,  she  Js  just  wore  out,  poor  dear.  She  '11  be 
none  the  worse  on  the  morrow." 

"Nay,  I  can  ride,"  I  protested  feebly.  "What 
is  the  pother?"  and  I  tried  to  get  to  my  feet. 

"Lie  still,  Peggy  dear,  you — " 

"No,  Bee,"  I  broke  in,  my  mind  still  fixed  on 
150 


A  PAIR  OF  KNAVES 

one  purpose,  "I  must  get  to  Denewood,"  and  this 
time  I  did  sit  up.  "I  can  ride,  Bee,  indeed  I  can !" 
But  truth  to  tell  I  felt  weak  and  silly,  and  had 
no  more  strength  than  a  baby. 

Nevertheless  I  made  shift  to  sit  my  horse,  with 
Mark  riding  beside  to  balance  me  and  we  were 
soon  at  the  Tavern  in  Norristown,  for  even  to 
me  it  was  plain  by  that  time  that  I  could  not  ride 
home  that  night. 

Mark  secured  us  rooms,  and  they  helped  me  to 
one  that  was  next  Bee's,  where,  after  taking  off 
my  shoes,  I  flung  myself  upon  the  bed,  too  ex- 
hausted to  make  further  efforts  at  undressing. 

There  were  a  thousand  questions  I  wished  to 
ask,  and  I  doubt  not  Bee  had  as  many  on  her 
tongue,  but  when  I  would  have  spoken  she  si- 
lenced me,  saying  that  there  would  be  plenty  of 
time  for  all  that  on  the  morrow ;  so,  worn  out  by 
my  adventures,  I  let  my  head  drop  upon  the  pillow 
with  a  sigh  of  thankfulness. 

How  long  I  slept  I  know  not,  but,  on  a  sudden, 
I  found  myself  broad  awake,  with  a  guilty  feel- 
ing that  I  had  left  something  undone.  I  lay  still 
a  minute  puzzling  over  it,  when  in  a  flash  I  re- 
membered what  it  was  I  had  neglected. 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

Bee  had  not  been  warned  of  Jasper  Pilgrim 
and  his  evil  companion  who  threatened  little  Jack. 
She  could  not  guess  the  danger,  and  with  a  feel- 
ing of  apprehension  I  leaped  out  of  bed  and  pat- 
tered across  the  floor,  meaning  to  go  at  once  to 
her  room. 

Opening  the  door  leading  to  the  hallway  I 
peered  forth.  Showing  like  a  shadow  against 
the  light  of  a  window  at  the  end  of  the  passage, 
I  saw  the  crouching  figure  of  a  man  holding  his 
ear  to  the  keyhole  of  Bee's  room. 


152 


CHAPTER  XII 

INTO   THE   FIRE 

STRANGE  as  it  may  appear  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, my  first  feeling  at  sight  of  the 
man  in  the  hallway  was  not  fear  but  indignation. 
I  thought  not  at  all  of  danger,  and  stepped  boldly 
into  the  hall  to  rebuke  him.  And  this  was  my 
undoing,  for  as  I  crossed  the  threshold,  and  ere 
I  had  time  to  make  a  sound,  a  shawl  was  thrown 
over  my  head  and  I  was  pressed  back  against  the 
wall. 

"Hold  her  hands,"  was  whispered,  in  the  voice 
of  the  man  who  had  been  with  Jasper  Pilgrim 
that  afternoon,  and  then  I  knew  upon  what  er- 
rand this  pretty  pair  of  rogues  were  bent. 

I  felt  my  arms  pinioned  behind  me  and  the 
shawl  wrapped  tight  about  my  head  till  I  was 
nigh  smothered. 

"Keep  her  fast  till  I  find  the  boy,"  came  the 
next  whisper,  and  the  first  man  released  his 
grasp. 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

Though  I  could  not  cry  out  I  began  to  struggle 
fiercely  to  get  one  of  my  hands  free.  Bart,  my 
brother,  used  to  say,  that  I  was  as  strong  as  most 
boys  of  my  years,  and  slippery  as  an  eel,  but  how- 
ever that  was,  the  one  who  tried  to  hold  me  was 
not  equal  to  the  task  and,  in  a  moment,  I  had 
wrenched  one  arm  loose  from  his  grip  and  torn 
the  shawl  away  from  my  face.  In  the  dim  light 
I  made  out  that  it  was  Jasper  Pilgrim  with  whom 
I  battled. 

"Mark!  Mark!  Help!"  I  shouted  at  the  top 
of  my  voice,  repeating  the  cry  again  and  again. 

At  that  I  heard  the  door  to  my  room  softly 
close,  and  the  Quaker  loosed  his  clutch  upon  me 
with  a  cry  of  fright,  just  as  Mark  appeared  fully 
dressed,  save  for  his  coat  and  neckcloth. 

"Where  are  you,  Peg?"  he  shouted,  scarce  able 
to  see  in  the  darkness  of  the  hall. 

"Go  to  Bee,"  I  answered,  in  an  agony  of  sus- 
pense; "there 's  a  man  after  Jacky." 

He  did  as  I  bade  him  without  demanding  ex- 
planation and  I  was  assured  that  danger  in  that 
quarter  had  been  averted  when  I  heard  Bee's 
voice  in  answer  to  his  knock. 

Meanwhile  Jasper  Pilgrim,  seeing  his  exit  to- 
154 


"For  the  moment,  I  could  neither  see  nor  speak' 


INTO  THE  FIRE 

ward  the  stairway  blocked  by  Mark,  had  cowered 
against  the  wall  and  now  started  to  run  for  it. 
I,  however,  excited  and  angry  at  this  new  out- 
rage, snatched  at  him,  meaning  to  stay  him  if 
I  could,  but  I  only  managed  to  set  one  hand  on 
some  part  of  his  clothing.  At  once  I  realized  that 
within  my  clenched  fist  I  grasped  a  hard  object 
and  I  fastened  upon  it,  convinced  that  it  was  my 
own  ring  I  felt  beneath  the  cloth. 

He  snarled  at  me  to  let  him  go,  striking  a  feeble 
blow  or  two  at  my  arm,  but  I  held  the  tighter,  de- 
termined not  to  lose  my  property  a  second  time, 
now  that  it  was  actually  within  my  grasp. 

We  struggled  thus  an  instant,  and  then,  amid 
the  sharp  noise  of  ripping  stitches,  the  man  gave 
a  furious  wrench  of  his  body,  which  dragged  me 
a  step  or  two  across  the  floor,  and  tore  him  free. 
But  in  so  doing  he  left  behind  a  handful  of  cloth 
which  I  still  gripped. 

By  this  time  there  was  a  great  hubbub  below 
and  the  sound  of  people  running  up  the  stair. 
Bee  had  opened  her  door  and  stood  there,  holding 
the  boy  in  her  arms,  a  riding-cloak  thrown  over 
her  night-rail  and  I  ran  to  her,  as  Mark  started 
to  come  to  my  aid. 

157 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

It  had  all  taken  but  a  moment  or  two,  and  by 
the  time  Bee  had  an  arm  about  me,  the  landlord 
and  his  servants  came  hurrying  up  to  us  to  know 
what  all  the  commotion  was  about. 

There  was  a  deal  of  chattering,  but  at  last 
I  made  them  understand  that  there  was  an  in- 
truder in  my  room.  With  a  rush  they  all  made 
for  the  door,  only  to  find  it  locked.  There  being 
no  other  way  in,  they  were  forced  to  send  for  a 
master-key  and,  in  the  meantime  armed  them- 
selves against  an  attack  with  pokers,  mops  and 
whatever  lay  handy. 

A  very  formidable  crowd  it  looked  when  at 
last  the  door  was  open  and  they  rushed  into  the 
room  to  a  light  held  high  by  the  nightcapped 
wife  of  the  landlord ;  but  there  was  no  one  there. 
The  room  was  empty  and  in  a  moment  they  all 
turned  to  me  for  an  explanation. 

"How  now,  missy?"  asked  the  landlord. 
"There  's  ne'er  a  one  here.  Were  ye  not  dream- 
ing, mayhap?" 

"Mayhap  the  door  locked  itself  on  the  inside !" 
I  burst  out,  angered  at  his  stupidity ;  but,  for  all 
that,  the  room  was  empty. 

158 


INTO  THE  FIRE 

However,  the  explanation  was  not  far  to  seek. 
An  open  window  led  on  to  the  roof  of  a  shed, 
and  though  't  was  steep,  it  was  no  great  trick  to 
escape  to  the  ground.  The  man  was  gone,  but 
had  the  door  not  been  locked  I  know  the  landlord 
would  still  have  insisted  I  had  but  dreamed.  As 
it  was,  two  or  three  of  the  servants  shook  their 
heads,  eying  me  dubiously. 

"  'T  was  doubtless  some  boy's  prank,"  the  land- 
lord said,  as  we  all  came  back  into  the  hall  and 
there  was  a  general  murmur  of  assent  among  the 
others. 

"I  'd  scarce  call  Jasper  Pilgrim  a  boy,"  I  re- 
torted, and  at  this  there  were  loud  exclamations 
of  surprise. 

"Jasper  Pilgrim!"  echoed  the  landlord.  "Na, 
na,  missy.  He  'd  ne'er  have  the  courage  to  jump 
from  yon  shed  roof." 

"But  't  is  the  other  one  did  that,"  I  insisted. 
"Jasper  Pilgrim  held  me,  while — " 

"Nay,  you  must  be  mistook,"  the  landlord  cut 
in  sharply.  "Jasper  is  a  Quaker,  and  though 
no  what  ye  'd  call  free  wi'  his  money  he 's  no 
up  to  such  tricks  as  these." 

159 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"  'T  is  useless  to  argue  it,  Peg,"  Bee  inter- 
posed. "Come  in  and  tell  us  about  it.  There 's 
little  danger  of  their  coming  back  to-night." 

With  a  chuckle  here  and  there  among  the 
crowd,  showing  plainly  that  they  took  the  attack 
upon  us  lightly,  they  moved  off,  while  we  went 
into  Bee's  room  and  closed  the  door  upon  them. 

Then  it  was  that  I  told  all  my  experiences  that 
day  and  how  I  had  come  to  fear  Jasper  Pilgrim 
and  his  companion.  They  heard  me  with  scarce 
an  interruption,  though  now  and  then  Bee  put 
an  arm  around  me  and  hugged  me  close,  vowing 
I  had  saved  her  boy.  Both  she  and  Mark  re- 
membered Tiscoquam  and  seemed  to  appreciate 
the  motives  that  had  prompted  his  taking  little 
Jack,  but  why  a  strange  old  man  in  Norristown 
should  wish  to  steal  the  boy  they  could  in  no  wise 
comprehend,  though  the  danger,  they  saw,  was 
real  enough. 

"  'T  is  indeed  scarce  credible,"  Bee  exclaimed 
at  the  end. 

"I  'd  like  to  catch  the  old  thief,"  Mark  mur- 
mured angrily.  "I  'd  see  to  it  that  he  did  n't 
steal  any  more  rings." 

"But  what  have  you  there,  Peggy  dear?"  Bee 
1 60 


INTO  THE  FIRE 

asked,  and  I  looked  down  at  my  lap  where  my 
hand  lay,  still  clutching  a  portion  of  Jasper  Pil- 
grim's clothing. 

"Oh,  I  'd  clean  forgot,"  I  cried.  "The  ring  is 
here,  I  believe,"  and  I  unfolded  a  piece  of  cloth, 
which  was  evidently  a  portion  of  the  old  Quaker's 
waistcoat,  for  there  was  a  small  pocket  in  it. 

I  unbuttoned  this  and  drew  forth  the  hard  ob- 
ject I  had  fastened  upon  so  tenaciously.  To  my 
surprise  it  was  wrapped  in  a  bit  of  paper  from  a 
news-sheet,  but,  as  I  had  guessed,  it  was  my 
ring. 

'T  is  found,  Bee !"  I  exclaimed,  handing  it  to 
her. 

She  took  the  ring,  and  in  idle  curiosity  I  looked 
at  the  wrapping  in  my  hand.  For  a  moment  the 
printed  words  scarce  separated  themselves  be- 
fore my  eyes.  Then  suddenly  I  took  in  the  pur- 
port of  them. 

"Bee !"  I  exclaimed,  "listen  to  this,"  and  I  read 
aloud  as  follows: 

"5000  POUNDS  REWARD  for  the  recovery  of  a 
boy,  aged  about  seven  years,  and  THE  RING 
WITH  A  RESON  which  he  wore  about  his  neck, 
hung  on  a  chain.  The  ring  carried  a  device  of 

161 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

a  Cupid  with  a  drawn  bow  cut  upon  the  sapphire 
stone  in  the  bezel,  and  is  set  with  five  triangular 
diamonds.  For  further  particulars  call  upon 
Andrew  M'Sparren  in  Nassau  Street  in  the  City 
of  New  York.  Mch.  3rd.  1786." 

"Now  that 's  plain  enough !"  exclaimed  Mark. 
'They  think  that  because  Peg  has  the  ring,  Jacky 
must  be  the  boy  named  in  the  notice." 

'That  must  be  it,"  Bee  agreed.  "But  what 
is  a  reson?  Is  it  on  your  ring  or  was  it  also  on 
the  chain  about  the  child's  neck?" 

"I  don't  know,"  I  replied  doubtfully,  "and  what 
has  Tiscoquam  to  do  with  it?  When  he  saw  the 
device  upon  the  ring  he  let  Jacky  go." 

"That  I  cannot  even  guess,"  Bee  admitted, 
"but  Mark  is  right.  Your  Jasper  Pilgrim  and 
his  companion  evidently  think  Jacky  the  missing 
child." 

"Jacky  's  but  five  while  the  lost  boy  is  seven, 
according  to  this,"  I  argued,  indicating  the  paper. 

"Jacky  is  monstrous  large  for  his  years,"  Bee 
explained  with  pride,  "and  you  heard  the  Quaker 
himself  say  any  boy  who  looked  the  age  would  do, 
so  long  as  they  had  the  ring  which  would  seem 
to  prove  his  birth." 

162 


INTO  THE  FIRE 

"There 's  no  doubt  of  it,"  Mark  repeated  posi- 
tively, "and  I  shall  have  to  escort  you  home 
in  the  morning.  They  are  a  bold  pair  of  vil- 
lains." 

"Yes,  I  would  n't  dare  go  alone  now,"  Bee 
agreed. 

"And  must  I  walk?"  I  asked  plaintively. 

"No,  you  must  go  to  bed,"  Bee  laughed  quietly. 
"We  arranged  with  the  good  woman  who  took 
you  in  last  night  to  come  early  on  the  morrow 
with  horses.  She  looks  as  if  she  would  be  as 
good  as  another  man  if  we  met  our  enemies. 
Now  we  must  try  to  get  some  rest  and  I  think 
Mark  had  best  stay  in  the  next  room,  while  you 
must  share  this  one  with  Jacky  and  me." 

So  once  more  we  settled  down  to  sleep  and 
though  the  night  was  not  as  far  gone  as  I  had 
first  supposed  when  I  woke  so  suddenly,  there 
were  but  a  few  hours  left  ere  the  sun  would  be 
up. 

Daylight  found  me  quite  refreshed  and  after 
breakfast  I  was  as  strong  as  ever  and  none  the 
worse  for  my  adventures. 

My  friend  of  the  night  before  came  betimes 
with  the  horses,  her  honest,  smiling  face  lighting 

163 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

up  as  she  saw  me  and  reminding  me  more  than 
ever  of  Mrs.  Mummer. 

Ere  we  started  I  took  Mark  aside  and  gave  him 
my  ring  to  keep,  for  it  had  been  stripped  of  the 
thread  that  had  served  to  make  it  fit  my  finger. 

"I  wonder  you  trust  me  with  it,"  Mark  laughed, 
as  he  slipped  it  into  an  inner  pocket. 

"Would  Polly  not  trust  you?"  I  asked  half- 
jestingly. 

"Nay,  that  she  would  n't,"  he  answered. 
"She 's  told  me  so  often  that  I  lose  everything 
that  I  begin  to  believe  it  myself.  I  shall  be  glad 
to  be  rid  of  this  troublesome  ring  when  we  reach 
Denewood." 

"Well,  in  that  case,"  I  said  with  pretended 
anxiety,  "you  '11  please  put  it  at  once  in  the  little 
powdering-box  on  my  dressing  table,  if  by  chance 
I  am  not  ready  to  take  it  from  you." 

"Do  you  mean  to  go  a-gossiping  upon  the 
way?"  he  inquired  banteringly.  "Were  I  you  I 
would  change  my  dress  before  visiting,  unless 
fringe  is  now  the  fashion." 

We  left  a  letter  with  the  landlord  for  Cousin 
John  or  any  of  his  men,  and  took  the  road,  Mark 

164 


INTO  THE  FIRE 

at  Bee's  side  and  I  following  with  the  good 
woman  who,  though  she  seemed  rather  silent,  was 
ever  ready  with  her  kindly  smile. 

It  was  a  fine  day,  but  the  going  was  none  too 
good  and  we  made  slow  progress.  Jacky,  sitting 
in  front  of  Bee,  chatted  gaily,  and  wished  he 
might  meet  Tiscoquam,  ever  thinking  of  that  deer 
to  be  shot,  and  Bee  was  too  delighted  to  have  him 
back  to  say  a  chiding  word. 

We  soon  left  the  little  hamlet  behind  us  and 
our  road  wound  through  virgin  forest  with  only 
occasional  spaces  of  cleared  land,  where  the  set- 
tlers' houses  nestled  close  to  the  road  for  com- 
pany. We  met  one  or  two  carters  and  gave  them 
"good  morning,"  but  for  the  most  part  we  saw 
naught  save  rabbits  and  birds. 

We  were  a  good  half  way  on  our  journey  when 
my  companion  checked  her  horse  and  looked  down 
at  its  front  foot.  Instinctively  I  did  the  same 
without  saying  aught  to  Bee  or  Mark,  who  con- 
tinued on  their  way,  not  knowing  even  that  we 
had  halted. 

"What  is  it  ?"  I  asked,  and  she  muttered  some- 
thing I  did  n't  catch,  still  looking  down. 

165 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"What  is  it?"  I  repeated,  and  this  time  she 
raised  her  head,  gazing  however  at  the  two  in 
front  rather  than  at  me. 

"I  thought  he  'd  picked  up  a  stone,"  she  said, 
and  started  on  again. 

This  action  had  put  fair  two  hundred  yards 
between  us  and  those  ahead,  but  there  was  naught 
to  cause  me  to  think  twice  of  this  and  I  would 
not  have  remembered  the  circumstance  save  that 
at  the  moment  Bee  and  Mark  crossed  a  bypath 
running  at  right  angles  to  the  main  road,  I  heard 
a  shout,  and  instantly  there  rushed  between  us 
two  mounted  men  whom  I  recognized  at  once. 
One  was  Jasper  Pilgrim  and  the  other  his  ras- 
cally companion. 

I  glanced  at  the  woman  by  my  side,  expecting 
to  see  some  evidence  of  surprise  or  fright  on  her 
countenance  but  of  these  I  found  no  trace  and  a 
sudden  suspicion  flashed  into  my  mind. 

"Who  are  you?"  I  cried,  leaning  forward  and 
grasping  her  by  the  shoulder. 

"I  am  Jasper  Pilgrim's  lawfully  wedded  wife," 
she  answered,  looking  guiltily  at  the  ground. 
"He  Js  the  man  I  promised  to  love,  honor  and 
obey." 

166 


CHAPTER  XIII 

AN   UNEXPECTED   SITUATION 

THE  instant  the  woman  beside  me  announced 
that  she  was  the  wife  of  Jasper  Pilgrim  I 
saw  that  we  had  been  tricked,  and  this  revelation, 
added  to  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  two  men, 
struck  me  dumb  with  surprise.  Then  recollect- 
ing that  neither  Bee  nor  Mark  had,  so  far  as  I 
then  knew,  ever  seen  the  pair  before,  I  was  about 
to  shout  a  warning.  But  there  was  no  need. 
Bee  had  taken  the  alarm  and,  with  a  cry  of  fear, 
spurred  her  horse  and  galloped  rapidly  down  the 
road. 

Almost  at  the  same  moment  Jasper  Pilgrim's 
companion,  urging  his  animal  to  a  rapid  gait, 
swerved  past  Mark  and  took  after  her.  Mark, 
with  a  shout  of  anger,  started  in  pursuit,  and  the 
Quaker  followed  less  recklessly. 

All  this  had  taken  but  a  moment  and  I  sat  there 
watching  as  if  I  had  naught  to  do  with  it,  so  com- 

167 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

plete  was  my  astonishment.  Then  I  came  to  my 
senses  and  lifted  the  reins,  digging  my  heel  into 
my  beast  to  start  him  off,  but  though  he  stirred 
restlessly  he  would  not  go  forward. 

"Go  on,"  I  cried,  slapping  his  side  with  my 
free  hand  again  and  again,  but  he  held  his 
ground,  tossing  his  head  nervously. 

"Nay,  dearie,"  came  the  voice  of  Mrs.  Pilgrim, 
"he'll  not  budge  till  I  give  the  word.  So  'tis 
useless  to  beat  him." 

"Then  make  him  start,"  I  cried,  exasperated 
at  the  delay,  for  already  those  in  front  of  us  were 
growing  smaller  in  the  distance  and  I  saw  that 
a  bend  in  the  road  would  soon  hide  them  from 
me. 

"I  will  an  ye  give  me  that  ring,"  she  said,  half 
defiantly. 

"That  ring!"  I  echoed;  "what  have  you  to  do 
with  the  ring?" 

"  'T  is  the  one  you  stole  from  my  wedded  hus- 
band," she  replied,  not  having  the  hardihood  to 
meet  my  eyes,  which,  I  doubt  not,  were  blazing 
with  anger. 

"Stole  ?"  I  repeated.  "You  know  I  never  stole 
a  ring  from  any  one !" 

168 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

"Ah,  dearie,"  she  whimpered,  "I  was  sure  you 
did  naught  of  the  kind,  but  Jasper  vowed  ye  had 
it,  and  what  can  I  do  but  obey  him?  Did  I  not 
promise  it  in  the  church?" 

"How  comes  it  then  that  I  find  you  in  one  house 
and  your  husband  in  another?"  I  asked,  though 
I  had  slight  interest  in  the  matter,  not  seeing  how 
the  knowledge  would  serve  me. 

"We  live  in  the  cottage  while  the  other  house 
is  rented  to  a  foreign  gentleman,"  she  explained 
readily  enough. 

"I  would 'that  I  had  known  that  an  hour  ago," 
I  told  her  plainly.  "I  little  thought  that  a  woman 
who  seemed  so  kindly  and  honest  would  lend  her- 
self to  such  a  scurvy  trick.  You  have  deceived 
us." 

"Nay,  missy,  I  am  an  honest  woman,"  she  in- 
sisted with  a  show  of  resentment. 

"Then  tell  the  horse  to  go  on,"  I  demanded, 
beginning  again  to  urge  the  beast. 

"The  minute  you  give  me  the  ring,"  she  re- 
turned stubbornly. 

"But  I  have  it  not,"  I  cried,  wildly  belaboring 
the  animal  in  my  frantic  efforts  to  make  him  go, 
for  those  ahead  had  disappeared  around  the  bend 

169 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

in  the  road  and  I  was  half  mad  with  anxiety  to 
know  what  was  happening. 

"He  said  ye  had  it,"  Mrs.  Pilgrim  maintained 
stubbornly. 

"He  was  mistaken,"  I  said,  for  all  answer. 
"So  we  might  as  well  be  going  on  as  to  stand 
here." 

"Don't  tell  me  ye  have  n't  the  ring,  missy,"  she 
pleaded  with  deep  concern  in  her  voice;  "don't 
say  ye  have  n't  got  it." 

"But  I  do  say  it,"  I  retorted.  "Think  you  I  'd 
risk  having  it  stolen  a  second  time?" 

"Then  we  must  be  goin'  on,"  she  said  sadly. 
"It  goes  again'  me,  but  we  must  be  goin'  on." 

"Hurry  then,"  I  urged,  for  I  was  in  a  fever  to 
start. 

Mrs.  Pilgrim  rode  her  horse  close  to  mine  and, 
seizing  my  rein  near  to  the  bit,  she  spoke  to  the 
animal.  Like  a  lamb  it  moved  forward  at  a  brisk 
walk,  but  this  was  not  a  pace  to  suit  me  under  the 
circumstances. 

"We  must  go  faster,  Mrs.  Pilgrim,"  I  ex- 
claimed. "I  must  see  what  has  happened  to 
Madam  Travers.  Hurry  now !" 

"Nay,  we  '11  get  there  fast  enough,"  she  an- 
170 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

swered,  and  by  this  we  were  come  to  the  by-path 
out  of  which  her  husband  had  appeared.  Not 
till  we  arrived  here  did  I  have  a  thought  that  the 
woman's  purpose  was  other  than  to  obtain  the 
ring  by  hook  or  by  crook.  Now,  however,  in- 
stead of  going  straight  on  we  turned  sharp  to 
the  right  into  a  grass-grown  road  which  was  lit- 
tle more  than  a  lane  through  the  woods. 

"Where  are  you  taking  me?"  I  demanded, 
dragging  at  the  rein  I  held,  which  brought  the 
horse  to  a  halt. 

'T  is  this  way  we  're  to  go,"  she  answered, 
and  then,  half-sobbing,  "Oh,  missy,  don't  blame 
me.  'T  is  his  orders  and  I  promised  to  obey." 

"What  do  you  mean  ?"  I  asked,  puzzled  at  her 
manner,  for  she  seemed  as  reluctant  as  I  to  go 
forward  with  the  business. 

"I  was  ordered  to  get  the  ring,"  she  replied, 
"and  failing  that  to  take  you  to  a  place  I  know 
of.  'T  is  a  clean,  wholesome  house,  that  I  '11 
promise  ye  and  you  '11  be  as  comfortable  as  in 
your  own  home,  I  doubt  not."  She  said  this  last 
with  a  half-hopeful  smile  of  conciliation. 

"I  shall  not  go,"  I  answered  angrily. 

"Don't   say   that,"   she  begged   sorrowfully; 
171 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"  't  will  do  no  good  to  fight,  for  go  you  must," 
and  she  spoke  to  my  horse  again,  at  which  it 
ambled  on. 

For  a  few  moments  there  was  silence  between 
us,  while  I  puzzled  to  get  at  the  woman's  purpose 
in  separating  me  from  the  others.  I  doubted  not 
her  power  to  do  this,  for  I  was  no  match  for  her 
if  it  came  to  a  physical  struggle  of  any  kind,  and 
moreover  I  had  no  mind  for  such  an  encounter. 
I  was  not  afraid.  I  could  not  lose  the  ring  be- 
cause Mark  had  it,  and  though  I  might  be  caused 
a  few  hours  of  discomfort  and  some  anxiety  on 
Bee's  account,  I  thought  that,  at  the  worst,  I 
would  but  be  detained  until  Pilgrim  returned  and 
I  convinced  him  that  I  did  not  possess  the  trinket 
he  sought  so  persistently. 

But  Mrs.  Pilgrim  herself  seemed  not  to  like  the 
business  any  better  than  I,  for,  as  we  rode  along, 
she  repeated  to  herself  again  and  again  under 
her  breath,  "I  promised  at  church  to  obey,"  and 
seemed  in  anything  but  a  cheerful  frame  of  mind. 

Soon  I  ceased  to  dwell  on  her  situation  or  on 
my  own.  How  Bee  and  the  boy  fared  was  much 
more  important,  and  I  worried  myself  into  a 
fever  of  anxiety  wondering  what  might  be  the 

172 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

outcome  of  the  race  I  had  seen  started.  When 
they  had  disappeared  their  positions  were  un- 
changed, except  that  Jasper  Pilgrim  had  been 
somewhat  distanced.  But  though  I  felt  sure 
that,  man  to  man,  Mark  could  easily  protect  Bee 
from  the  scoundrel  who  followed  her,  any  acci- 
dent might  end  the  matter  seriously.  The  roads 
were  somewhat  rough  for  such  fast  riding,  and 
should  either  Bee's  or  Mark's  horse  fall,  the  re- 
sult might  be  disastrous. 

Yet  there  was  naught  that  I  could  do  but  say 
a  little  prayer  in  my  heart  for  their  safety. 

Mrs.  Pilgrim  still  held  the  rein  of  my  horse, 
and  together  we  picked  our  way  through  the  for- 
est for  two  good  hours.  The  country  through 
which  we  passed  was  strange  to  me,  and  the  lane 
twisted  here  and  there  till  I  could  not  have  told 
whether  we  were  faring  toward  Norristown  or 
Germantown.  We  saw  but  one  person  on  the 
way  and  that  but  a  boy,  herding  two  forlorn 
cows  which  ran  into  the  woods  at  sight  of  us, 
the  boy  following  with  many  vain  shouts  at  them 
to  stop. 

Presently  upon  our  right  we  came  upon  a 
broad  cleared  stretch  of  perhaps  an  hundred 

173 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

acres,  divided  into  pasture  and  tillage,  and  look- 
ing prosperous  enough,  though  by  no  means  a 
rich  estate. 

Set  in  a  clump  of  maples  was  a  sizeable  house 
with  a  low  second  story,  containing,  as  I  found 
later,  two  small  rooms.  Several  barns  and  out- 
buildings surrounded  it  and  altogether  it  had  the 
appearance  of  a  well-cared  for  farm,  inhabited 
by  thrifty  people. 

"  T  is  there  we  stay,"  Mrs.  Pilgrim  an- 
nounced, when  we  came  in  sight  of  the  place. 

"Whose  house  is  it?"  I  asked. 

"It  belongs  to  that  Dutch  woman,  Mrs.  Schnei- 
der," she  replied  impatiently.  "She  's  one  I  can't 
abide,  and  that 's  a  fact." 

"I  have  no  wish  to  stop  with  her,"  I  said  ir- 
ritably, for  the  whole  proceeding  made  me  cross, 
and  Mrs.  Pilgrim's  half  reluctant  and  yet  de- 
termined way  of  going  through  with  the  affair 
was  harder  to  bear  than  if  she  had  been  straight- 
forwardly plotting  with  her  husband.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  she  was  trying  to  retain  her  honest 
reputation  while  helping  all  she  could  in  a  most 
unsavory  transaction. 

"Nay,  't  is  not  a  place  you  'd  be  wishful  to  stop 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

at,  that  I  know,"  said  Mrs.  Pilgrim  in  answer  to 
my  last  remark.  "She  's  not  one  I  'd  trust  with 
a  shilling,  though  there  's  some  say  she  's  as  hon- 
est as  the  day  is  long." 

I  thought  this  came  with  a  very  bad  grace  from 
her,  but  it  would  serve  no  good  purpose  to  point 
it  out  to  her,  so  I  held  my  peace. 

We  had  been  approaching  the  house  from  one 
side  and  came  at  length  to  a  highroad  that  ran 
before  it,  whence  we  entered  a  short  driveway, 
and  drew  rein  before  the  stoop,  which  had  old- 
fashioned  settles  on  either  side. 

A  dog,  barking  furiously,  served  to  make  our 
arrival  known,  for  we  had  scarce  halted  our 
horses  when  a  pink-faced  German  woman  ap- 
peared. She  greeted  us  in  her  native  language 
(of  which  I  knew  not  a  word),  and  seemed  not  at 
all  surprised  at  our  arrival,  but  rather  as  if  she 
had  expected  us. 

She  called  loudly  in  the  direction  of  one  of  the 
barns,  and  a  boy  came  promptly  to  take  the  ani- 
mals. Meanwhile,  Mrs.  Pilgrim,  much  to  my 
surprise,  was  talking  volubly  to  Mrs.  Schneider 
in  her  own  language,  and  from  the  tone  of  her 
voice  and  the  rather  commiserating  glances  the 


latter  cast  in  my  direction  I  should  have  said  she 
was  very  sorry  for  me.  But  this  I  put  down  to 
imagination,  for  I  saw  no  good  reason  why  I 
should  elicit  Mrs.  Schneider's  sympathy. 

We  were  led  into  the  house,  which  for  cleanli- 
ness would  have  done  credit  to  Mrs.  Mummer 
herself,  and  I  sat  down  on  a  chair  that  the  Ger- 
man woman  with  a  gesture  of  invitation  had 
pointed  to.  She  smiled  pleasantly  at  me,  and 
from  her  face  I  should  have  said  no  more  honest 
woman  lived  in  the  land;  but  then  I  would  have 
thought  the  same  of  Mrs.  Pilgrim.  I  did  not 
smile  in  return,  for  I  was  in  no  mood  to  seem 
pleased  with  this  business  she  was  ready  to  lend 
a  hand  to. 

However  my  glumness  in  no  way  affected  her 
and  she  bustled  about  the  kitchen  while  she  talked 
incessantly  to  Mrs.  Pilgrim.  Now  and  then  a 
glance  cast  in  my  direction  made  we  aware  that  I 
held  a  place  in  their  conversation,  and  always 
there  was  a  dropping  of  the  voice  that  hinted  at 
regret  for  something. 

I  sat  as  still  as  I  was  able,  caring  naught  what 
happened  so  long  as  the  time  would  go  by  to 
bring  at  last  Jasper  Pilgrim  or  his  doubtful  com- 

176 


"Where  are  you  taking  me  ?"  I  demanded 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

panion.  I  had  never  thought  to  want  to  see 
either  of  these  men,  but  I  now  knew  I  should  be 
kept  prisoner  till  they  appeared  and  that  from 
them  would  come  my  first  news  of  what  had  hap- 
pened to  Bee  and  little  Jack. 

Whilst  I  waited,  dinner  was  prepared  by  Mrs. 
Schneider  and  two  stout  girls  whom  I  judged  to 
be  her  daughters.  They  came  in  a  little  after  us, 
and  when  their  glance  fell  upon  me  I  noted  their 
stares  of  curiosity  and  one  nudged  the  other,  say- 
ing something  in  German,  which  was  answered 
by  a  look  of  pity  and  a  sad  shake  of  the  head, 
much  after  the  mother's  manner.  Also  I  ob- 
served that  they  held  themselves  aloof,  keeping 
as  far  away  from  me  as  was  possible  in  that 
room.  Indeed,  when  they  brought  me  my  food 
they  drew  off  in  haste  as  if  perchance  I  might 
bite  them. 

My  dinner  was  served  on  a  small  stand  apart. 
This  I  took  at  the  time  to  be  a  mark  of  respect, 
but  later  I  found  that  Jt  was  naught  of  the  sort. 
Even  then,  I  could  n't  understand  the  way  those 
girls  acted,  but  I  had  too  many  other  things  to 
concern  myself  with  to  care  much  about  them. 

At  the  ringing  of  a  huge  bell  outside,  two  farm 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

hands  came  in  and  all  sat  down  to  their  dinner, 
paying  little  heed  to  me,  though  I  was  sure  that 
both  Mrs.  Schneider  and  Mrs.  Pilgrim  were  well 
aware  of  my  every  action,  which  I  put  down  to 
their  fear  that  I  might  attempt  to  escape. 

They  were  in  the  midst  of  the  meal  when  the 
dog  began  again  to  bark,  and  one  of  the  men  went 
out  at  once  by  the  yard  door.  Then  I  heard  the 
sound  of  some  one  talking  querulously  and  in  a 
moment  Jasper  Pilgrim  entered  alone. 

He  was  dusty  and  rather  disheveled,  but  as  his 
eye  lit  upon  me  it  brightened  vindictively  and  his 
twisted,  wrinkled  smile  broadened  on  his  evil 
face.  At  his  entrance  I  rose  and  went  toward 
him. 

"Did  you  catch  them  ?"  I  cried  in  great  eager- 
ness. 

"Nay,  but  we  Ve  got  thee!"  he  snarled  in  an- 
swer, and  then,  greatly  to  my  surprise,  he  leaped 
away  from  me  as  if  in  fear.  "Stay  where  thee 
is,"  he  shouted,  and,  so  startling  was  his  action, 
that  I  stopped  in  my  tracks. 

For  the  moment  I  cared  for  naught  but  the 
glad  news  that  Bee  was  safe.  By  this  time, 

1 80 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

wherever  the  other  man  was,  I  was  quite  sure  my 
dear  ones  were  well  protected  at  Denewood. 

"So  you  did  n't  catch  them !"  I  exclaimed,  mak- 
ing no  effort  to  hide  my  smiles.  Then  at  his  ex- 
pression of  anger  and  chagrin  I  laughed  outright, 
so  happy  in  the  thought  of  Bee's  escape  that  I 
considered  not  at  all  the  fact  that  this  old  man 
still  had  me  in  his  power — but  as  I  laughed  all 
the  people  at  the  table  leaped  suddenly  to  their 
feet  and  stared  at  me.  And  Jasper  Pilgrim  took 
a  step  nearer  to  me. 

"Where  is  that  ring?"  he  demanded. 

"I  have  it  not,"  I  answered,  but  added  fool- 
ishly, "though  had  I  it,  I  would  never  give  it  up 
to  you!" 

Still  with  his  sinister  grin  on  his  face,  his  eyes 
narrowed  till  they  were  mere  slits  under  his 
heavy  brows. 

"Will  thee  not?"  he  snapped.  "I  tell  thee,  girl, 
thee  shall  not  leave  this  house  until  I  have  the 
ring  and  the  child!" 

"I  can  give  you  neither,"  I  replied  steadily,  but 
I  confess  the  man's  threat  alarmed  me  for  the 
first  time. 

1811 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

He  turned  from  me  and,  speaking  rapidly  in 
German,  addressed  Mrs.  Schneider.  She  lis- 
tened, shaking  her  head  as  if  unwilling;  and 
glancing  at  me  as  before,  then  coming  to  my  side, 
she  smiled  pleasantly,  and  motioned  me  toward  a 
door  at  the  rear  of  the  room. 

Taking  this  as  an  invitation  to  accompany  her, 
I  shook  my  head  vigorously. 

"Tell  the  woman  I  shall  not  go  with  her,"  I 
said  to  the  Quaker. 

"Ah,  dearie,"  cried  Mrs.  Pilgrim,  much  dis- 
tressed, as  I  could  plainly  see,  "go  with  her.  If 
not  they  '11  force  ye.  Ye  'd  better  go  peaceable." 

"What  does  it  all  mean?"  I  demanded,  a  little 
bewildered. 

"It  means  thee  stays  here  till  I  have  the  ring," 
exclaimed  Jasper  Pilgrim  in  a  harsh,  high-pitched 
voice  of  anger.  "Does  thee  understand?" 

"But  how  can  I  give  what  I  have  not?"  I  re- 
peated. 

Again  he  addressed  Mrs.  Schneider  and  once 
more  she  motioned  toward  the  door. 

"Go  with  her,  dearie,"  Mrs.  Pilgrim  urged 
again  plaintively;  "can't  ye  see  you  're  bound  to 

go?" 

182 


AN  UNEXPECTED  SITUATION 

I  looked  about  and,  counting  six  people  against 
me,  saw  naught  for  it  but  to  follow  the  German 
woman  who  took  me  to  the  door,  which  upon 
being  opened  revealed  a  flight  of  stairs.  Up  this 
she  motioned  me  to  lead  the  way,  while  she  fol- 
lowed, lifting  an  iron  key  hanging  from  a  hook 
in  the  jamb. 

At  the  top  two  rooms,  side  by  side,  faced  me. 
Mrs.  Schneider  gave  me  no  time  to  look  about 
but  ushered  me  into  one  of  them  at  once. 

It  was  a  small  room,  clean  enough,  but  except 
for  a  bed,  a  stool  and  a  chair,  empty  of  furniture. 
At  one  end  was  a  window  toward  which  I  walked 
as  I  went  in. 

Behind  me  I  heard  the  door  close  and  the  key 
turn  in  the  lock. 

I  was  a  prisoner. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

MY   WORD   OF    HONOR 

FOR  a  while  after  the  key  was  turned  on  me 
I  could  scarce  help  giving  way  to  a  feeling 
of  despair.  The  thought  of  being  shut  up  in 
that  little  room  for  I  knew  not  how  long,  filled 
me  with  horror  and  I  had  to  keep  myself  well  in 
hand  or  I  should  have  beaten  upon  the  door  in 
a  panic.  But  I  could  not  keep  back  the  tears, 
and  for  a  time  I  sat  in  the  chair  by  the  window, 
crying  as  if  my  heart  would  break. 

And  yet  I  felt  no  great  fear.  I  was  sure  that 
sooner  or  later  I  must  be  set  free  and  that,  at 
worst,  I  had  but  to  wait  till  those  at  Denewood 
found  me,  for  I  had  no  doubt  they  would  be  out 
hunting  as  soon  as  it  could  be  arranged.  Never- 
theless I  acted  like  a  baby  for  a  time. 

At  length  I  dried  my  tears  and  plucked  up  my 
courage. 

"They  can't  eat  you,  Peggy  Travers,"  I  mur- 
mured, trying  to  talk  myself  into  a  better  spirit. 

184 


"If  they  won't  free  you,  sure  a  great  girl  like  you 
should  be  able  to  get  yourself  out."  And  that 
gave  me  something  to  think  about,  which  is  the 
best  help  in  the  world  to  cheer  a  body  up. 

Naturally  my  first  study  was  the  window. 
Could  I  escape  by  it  ?  I  feared  not.  In  the  first 
place  the  room  was  upon  the  second  floor  and 
there  was  no  shed  roof  to  ease  the  descent,  naught 
between  the  sill  and  the  ground.  However,  it 
was  not  so  high  that  I  would  not  have  risked 
dropping  could  I  have  climbed  through,  but  three 
stout  iron  bars  set  into  the  stones  of  the  sill  made 
that  impossible. 

The  door  was  my  next  consideration  and  it 
needed  only  a  glance  at  the  stout  oak  from  which 
it  was  fashioned  to  show  me  the  uselessness  of 
trying  to  force  it.  I  turned  from  it  to  look  at 
the  walls  and  ceiling,  which  were  of  plaster,  and 
though  cracked  here  and  there  and  far  from 
white,  showed  no  way  of  escape.  As  I  went 
back  to  my  chair  by  the  window  I  suddenly  felt 
very  sure  that  I  was  not  the  first  who  had  been 
imprisoned  in  that  little  room. 

But  I  did  n't  mean  to  yield  to  despondency  a 
second  time,  and  sat  puzzling  my  head  over  the 

185 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

situation  till  my  eye  caught  the  plaster  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  iron  bars.  It  was  plain  enough 
that  it  had  been  put  there  to  hold  them  in 
place  and  if  it  could  be  loosened  it  seemed  not 
unlikely  that  one  of  the  metal  rods  might  be  taken 
out. 

I  looked  at  the  mortar  eagerly  and  was  pleased 
to  find  that  it  appeared  old ;  but  picking  at  it  with 
my  finger  I  could  make  no  impression  on  it. 
What  I  needed  was  something  stronger  with 
which  to  dig  it  away  a  little  at  a  time. 

Then  I  bethought  me  of  my  pack-pocket  whicH 
contained  a  small  housewife  with  a  tiny  pair  of 
scissors.  In  a  moment  I  had  these  out  and  in 
another  moment  had  snapped  one  of  the  blades 
off  short.  The  mortar  was  too  hard  for  such 
brittle  metal. 

Next  it  occurred  to  me  to  try  a  hairpin. 
Feverishly  I  plucked  one  from  my  hair,  but  here 
again  I  failed;  for  the  plaster  resisted  all  at- 
tempts and  the  pin  bent  in  my  fingers. 

I  searched  my  pocket  for  a  better  instrument, 
but  found  naught  but  a  piece  of  paper.  Opening 
this  these  words  met  my  eyes:  "Overhaste 
churns  bad  butter."  I  remembered  saving  it  the 

1 86 


MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 

day  before  and  wondered  again  if  that  short  sen- 
tence had  some  special  meaning  for  me.  It 
seemed  as  if  it  had,  and  I  put  the  message  back, 
resolved  to  take  further  thought  upon  my  plans 
of  escape. 

One  thing  at  least  was  plain,  the  day  was  no 
good  time  to  get  away,  and  should  I  be  discov- 
ered working  at  the  bars  of  my  window,  meas- 
ures would  undoubtedly  be  taken  to  defeat  my 
purpose.  I  must  curb  my  impatience  and  wait 
for  the  night  at  least. 

From  my  seat  at  the  window  side  I  could  hear 
many  sounds  of  the  work  going  on  below  and 
had  a  sight  of  the  barns  and  outhouses  at  the 
back.  Now  and  then  one  of  the  farm  hands 
would  appear  upon  some  errand,  and  the  doves 
circling  about  their  cote,  and  the  wandering 
chickens,  afforded  me  amusement  while  the  hours 
passed.  Also  I  could  see  the  road  leading  to  the 
stables,  though  as  none  came  that  way  and  as  I 
heard  no  sound  of  passing  horsemen  or  carts  it 
was  evidently  a  deserted  part  of  the  country. 

As  the  shadow  lengthened  far  past  the  noon- 
mark  cut  in  the  window-sill  I  expected  a  visit 
from  Jasper  Pilgrim,  but  he  did  not  appear,  and 

187 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

I  began  to  wonder  if  he  had  departed.  I  hoped 
so,  for  with  him  gone  I  might  be  able  to  secure 
my  release,  either  by  convincing  Mrs.  Schneider 
that  she  had  no  right  to  hold  me,  or  perchance  by 
bribing  one  of  the  men. 

This  last  thought  was  in  my  mind  when  a  well- 
looking  fellow,  whom  I  had  not  seen  before,  came 
into  the  yard,  leading  a  tired  horse.  He  stopped 
to  water  the  beast  not  far  off  and,  as  he  waited 
there,  he  turned  his  face  and  looked  directly  at 
me.  In  an  instant  I  was  on  my  feet,  beckoning 
him  to  come  under  the  window. 

He  seemed  surprised  to  see  me,  but  made  no 
move  to  answer  my  appeal. 

"Please  come  here!"  I  called  as  loudly  as  I 
dared.  "I  am  in  great  trouble,  and — "  But  I 
got  no  further,  for  at  that  moment  Jasper  Pil- 
grim ran  around  the  house  and  caught  me. 

He  glared  at  me  for  a  second  and  spoke  to  the 
young  man  in  German,  then  went  back  into  the 
kitchen  with  a  great  clatter. 

It  was  no  surprise  to  hear  him  come  stumping 
up  the  steps,  talking  angrily  to  some  one  who  fol- 
lowed him. 

After  fumbling  with  the  lock,  he  opened  the 
1 88 


MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 

door  and  stepped  into  the  room,  Mrs.  Pilgrim 
coming  behind  and  filling  up  the  entrance  with 
her  ample  person. 

"So !"  cried  Jasper  angrily.  "Thee  would  try 
thee's  wiles  on  honest  lads  and  effect  an  escape? 
I  '11  put  a  stop  to  that." 

"She  '11  not  do  it  again,  Jasper,"  said  Mrs.  Pil- 
grim, soothingly. 

"I  'm  right  well  aware  of  that,"  he  retorted 
spitefully,  looking  at  me  with  his  false  grin. 
"A  gag  in  her  mouth  will  stay  her  tongue." 

"Nay,  you'd  not  do  that  to  the  lass,"  Mrs. 
Pilgrim  protested. 

"And  why  not?"  he  burst  in  furiously. 
"Think  thee  I  '11  be  thwarted  by  a  slip  of  a  girl? 
Nay,  nay.  Here  she  stays  till  I  have  the  ring 
and  there  shall  be  no  shouting  out  of  windows 
to  give  the  place  a  bad  name." 

"Give  him  the  ring,  dearie,"  Mrs.  Pilgrim 
begged,  looking  at  me,  much  distressed. 

"How  many  times  must  I  tell  you  that  I  have 
it  not  ?"  I  asked  earnestly.  "If  you  kept  me  here 
till  Doomsday  I  could  n't  give  it  to  you." 

"Thee  hears  her  ?"  Pilgrim  snarled,  turning  to 
his  wife.  "Did  I  not  say  she  was  a  stubborn 

189 


MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 

baggage  ?     Get  a  napkin  and  we  '11  see  what  a 
gag  will  do  to  sharpen  her  wits." 

"Nay,"  replied  Mrs.  Pilgrim,  "I  '11  not  do  it." 

"What  of  thy  solemn  word?"  he  demanded, 
and  she  shrank  away  from  him,  shaking  her  head 
piteously. 

"There  will  be  no  need  to  use  a  gag,"  I  put  in, 
for  I  saw  the  man  was  intent  to  have  his  way  with 
me.  "I  '11  promise  not  to  call  out  to  any  one 
again." 

"What  care  I  for  thee's  promises?"  growled 
Pilgrim.  "Get  the  napkin,"  he  added,  address- 
ing his  wife. 

"Nay  but  you  can  trust  her,  Jasper,"  Mrs.  Pil- 
grim insisted,  "and  't  will  save  watching." 
Then,  as  her  husband  seemed  unrelenting,  she 
went  on,  "Do  not  increase  the  child's  suffering 
needlessly.  There 's  bad  to  come  of  this,  so  make 
it  no  worse  than  you  have  already." 

At  this  suggestion  Pilgrim  appeared  to  hesitate 
and  I  thought  it  a  good  time  to  add  to  his  fear 
of  consequences. 

"You  may  be  sure,"  I  said,  "that  sooner  or 
later  I  will  be  found,  and  't  will  not  make  your 
punishment  easier  if  I  have  to  tell  of  cruelty." 

190 


MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 

He  seemed  to  ponder  deeply  over  this  possi- 
bility, and  I  guessed  that  he  was  far  from  a  cou- 
rageous man,  for  presently  he  spoke  less  harshly. 

"Does  thee  give  thy  solemn  word  not  to  call 
out  to  any  one,  no  matter  who  may  come  to  the 
house?"  he  demanded. 

"Yes,  I  promise,"  I  answered,  for  though  I 
liked  not  to  be  forced  to  silence  in  this  way, 
neither  was  I  anxious  to  have  a  gag  put  in  my 
mouth. 

"No  matter  who  may  come  to  the  house?"  he 
repeated. 

"I  '11  keep  my  word,"  I  said,  steadily.  "I  've 
ne'er  broke  it  yet." 

He  looked  hard  at  me  for  a  moment  as  if  to  see 
whether  or  not  he  could  trust  me,  then  he  slowly 
nodded  his  head. 

"Very  well,  see  that  thee  does  not  now,"  he 
muttered,  and  as  he  turned  to  his  wife,  "  'T  is 
as  I  told  thee.  She  's  a  stubborn  jade  and  't  will 
take  more  than  a  few  hours  to  subdue  her.  I  '11 
off  to  Sperry  to  see  what  he  advises,"  and  with- 
out another  word  he  left  the  room. 

"You  '11  give  in  to  him,  dearie,"  Mrs.  Pilgrim 
whispered  to  me,  ere  the  sounds  of  his  footsteps 

191 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

died  away.  "  'T  will  not  help  ye  to  put  off  the 
evil  day.  Come,  let  me  tell  him  ye  '11  give  him 
his  way." 

"Mrs.  Pilgrim/'  I  answered  hotly,  "you  may 
save  your  breath  to  cool  your  porridge,  as  the 
saying  is.  It  is  out  of  my  power  to  give  the 
man  the  ring.  I  have  told  you  I  have  it  not. 
You  may  search  me  to  prove  that  I  speak  the 
truth." 

"Nay,  I  'm  sure  you  'd  not  lie.  But  where  is 
it  ?  That 's  all  he  would  need  to  know,"  she  re- 
turned coaxingly. 

"That  I  '11  never  tell  him,"  I  protested  ve- 
hemently. "Not  if  he  keeps  me  here  for  a 
week." 

Mrs.  Pilgrim  might  have  gone  on  pleading  with 
me,  though  the  uselessness  of  it  should  have  been 
apparent,  but  at  that  moment  her  husband  called 
her  from  below,  and  she  hurried  out,  minding  his 
warning  to  lock  the  door. 

So  far  I  had  lost  much  upon  my  first  attempt 
to  obtain  help,  and  again  I  thought  of  the  words 
on  a  piece  of  paper  in  my  pack-pocket.  "Over- 
haste  churns  bad  butter."  Evidently  I  was  to 
have  plenty  of  time  on  my  hands,  so  I  need 

192! 


MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 

not  run  risks  by  hurrying  in  my  butter  making. 

Toward  dusk  Mrs.  Schneider  brought  me  a 
tray  on  which  were  a  generous  dish  of  nubs  of 
fried  pork  swimming  in  gravy,  a  great  pickle 
stuffed  with  cabbage,  oelykoeks  and  a  mug  of 
small  beer.  She  set  all  on  the  stool  and  with  a 
friendly  smile  invited  me  to  eat  by  a  wave  of  her 
hand  toward  the  food.  I  set  to  immediately 
though  I  lacked  any  sort  of  appetite;  but  I  had 
no  wish  to  offend  this  woman  who  looked  not  at 
all  like  the  sort  to  play  a  cruel  part  knowingly. 
Truth  to  tell  I  liked  her,  and  would  have  made 
shift  to  win  her  to  my  side,  save  for  the  fact  that 
I  could  not  speak  her  language  nor  she  mine. 
Whatever  she  had  heard  of  me  was,  of  course, 
lies  told  by  Jasper  Pilgrim,  which  I  was  helpless 
to  set  right  just  yet ;  but  thinking  the  time  might 
come  when  I  should  find  an  interpreter,  I  saw 
much  to  gain  by  keeping  the  woman  in  as  friendly 
a  humor  toward  me  as  possible. 

She  went  out,  leaving  the  door  ajar,  and  I  was 
in  two  minds  whether  or  not  to  make  a  run  for 
it;  then  on  sober  second  thought  I  saw  how  use- 
less that  would  be  while  the  room  below  was 
filled  with  people  and  so  sat  still. 

193 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

She  returned  presently  with  a  finely  worked 
night-rail  which  she  laid  with  some  pride  on  the 
foot  of  my  bed.  And  I,  catching  the  drift  of 
her  motions,  picked  up  the  garment  and,  in  the 
best  way  I  could,  tried  to  make  her  comprehend 
that  I  admired  greatly  the  beautiful  needle-work 
it  showed. 

She  understood  and  we  nodded  and  smiled  at 
one  another  in  friendly-wise  for  a  moment  or 
two,  then  with  a  wave  of  her  hand  toward  my 
supper,  she  went  out  with  a  "Gute  Nacht,"  and 
a  kindly  smile.  But  this  time  she  locked  the 
door  after  her. 

A  little  later,  following  the  sounds  of  much 
talking  and  clattering  of  dishes,  from  which  I 
judged  the  family  were  having  their  supper,  Jas- 
per Pilgrim  and  his  wife  took  their  departure. 
The  horses  were  led  from  the  barn  and  I  heard 
the  old  villain's  final  words  in  German  as  they 
went  away ;  and,  though  my  escape  was  no  nearer 
for  their  going,  I  felt  easier  in  my  mind  to  be 
free  of  them  both. 

There  was  not  even  a  tallow  dip  in  my  room, 
so  I  thought  it  wise  to  make  ready  for  bed  ere 
the  light  faded;  and  while  I  believed  I  should 

194 


MY  WORD  OF  HONOR 

never  sleep  and  but  lay  upon  the  bed  the  better 
to  think  over  my  plans  of  escape,  my  eyes  grew 
heavy  and  I  soon  dropped  off. 

It  was  broad  day  when  I  awoke  to  the  sound 
of  the  key  grating  in  the  lock  of  the  door,  and  a 
moment  later  one  of  the  two  girls  whom  I  had 
seen  the  morning  before  and  who  I  judged 
were  Mrs.  Schneider's  daughters,  came  in.  She 
was  a  fine,  buxom  lass  with  flaming  red  hair  and 
a  round,  good-natured  face.  She  brought  with 
her  a  ewer  of  water,  a  tooth-brush  made  of  a 
pounded  mallow  twig,  and  a  comb.  These  she 
laid  on  the  chair  and  then  picked  up  the  tray  with 
the  remnants  of  my  supper. 

All  the  while  she  eyed  me  with  what  at  the 
time  I  took  for  curiosity  but  which  later  I  learned 
had  another  cause  as  well,  and  when  she  went  out 
of  the  room  she  turned  so  as  to  face  me,  backing 
through  the  door  hurriedly. 

I  got  up  quickly  and  was  arranging  my  hair 
when  she  returned,  bearing  my  breakfast,  which 
consisted  of  suppawn  and  milk.  Now,  my  hair 
is  black  and  so  long  that  it  hangs  well  down  to 
my  knees,  and  I  confess  that  I  take  much  pride  in 
it.  It  was  hanging  in  this  wise  when  the  maid 

195 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

came  in,  and  I  was  much  surprised  to  see  her  set 
the  tray  down  quickly  on  the  little  stool  and  be- 
gin at  once  to  take  down  her  own  hair,  which 
had  been  braided  and  wound  round  her  head, 
German-fashion.  I  had  no  idea  what  she  was  at 
till  she  let  it  all  drop,  and  then,  coming  near  me, 
measured  the  strands  to  see  whose  was  the  longer. 
She,  too,  I  saw,  took  pride  in  her  hair,  and  I  was 
by  no  means  inclined  at  that  moment  to  contest 
whose  was  the  finer. 

Indeed  to  make  a  friend  of  one's  jailer  is  half 
way  to  liberty,  which  sounds  like  a  saying  of 
Mummer's,  and  so  by  the  best  signs  I  could,  I 
tried  to  make  her  understand  how  much  I  ad- 
mired her  flaming  locks.  Truth  to  tell  they  were 
both  longer  and  thicker  than  my  own,  albeit  of  a 
less  fashionable  color. 

However,  at  my  first  attempt  to  approach  her, 
she  suddenly  seemed  to  remember  something  she 
had  for  the  moment  forgotten,  and  exhibited  the 
liveliest  terror.  Motioning  me  to  keep  away  she 
backed  to  the  entrance,  finally  whipping  out  and 
locking  the  door  hastily  behind  her. 

I  could  not  but  wonder  at  these  actions,  but 
saw  no  way  to  explain  them,  and  so  went  about 

196 


my  dressing  with  as  tranquil  a  mind  as  I  could 
maintain  under  the  circumstances. 

I  ate  a  little  of  the  cornmeal  mush  and  drank 
most  of  the  milk,  and  after  making  my  bed,  and 
tidying  the  little  room,  I  sat  down  in  my  chair  to 
pass  as  best  I  might  the  weary  hours  ahead  of 
me. 

More  than  once  I  was  nigh  to  tears,  thinking  of 
my  unfortunate  situation,  but  I  comforted  my- 
self with  the  thought  that  sooner  or  later  Cousin 
John  would  find  me  and  I  would  be  back  at  Dene- 
wood,  none  the  worse. 

I  was  thinking  thus  when  suddenly  the  dog 
began  to  bark  and  I  guessed  that  visitors  were 
arriving.  The  sounds  of  several  horses  came  to 
me  and  some  one  shouted ;  but  I  could  not  see  the 
party,  for  they  stopped  at  the  front  of  the  house. 

There  was  some  confusion  below  and  I  heard 
the  front  door  open.  Then  came  a  voice  that 
made  me  jump  to  my  feet  with  joy  in  my  heart. 

"We  are  going  from  house  to  house  looking 
for  news  of  Mistress  Margaret  Travers,"  were 
the  first  words  I  made  out,  and  I  knew  it  was 
Cousin  John  speaking.  They  had  found  me  at 
last. 

197 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

I  listened  for  the  answer  and  heard  Mrs. 
Schneider  reply,  though  of  course  I  could  not  un- 
derstand what  she  said. 

"This  is  a  job  for  you,  Hal,"  Cousin  John 
called,  and  I  remembered  that  my  brother-in-law 
spoke  German.  Indeed,  the  next  moment  Hal 
addressed  Mrs.  Schneider  in  her  own  language. 

They  talked  earnestly  for  perhaps  five  minutes, 
while  I  could  scarce  stand  still  with  impatience 
waiting  for  their  footsteps  on  the  stair. 

At  length  Hal  began  to  speak  in  English. 

"She  's  not  here,"  he  said,  "nor  have  they  seen 
aught  of  her." 

"Then  come  along,"  cried  Cousin  John;  "we 
must  hurry  on  to  the  next  place." 

For  the  moment  I  could  not  believe  my  ears. 
Then,  as  I  realized  that  they  were  going  away,  I 
opened  my  mouth  to  shout  that  I  was  there,  but, 
ere  a  sound  came  through  my  lips,  I  remembered 
the  promise  I  had  given  to  Jasper  Pilgrim.  I  had 
pledged  my  word  not  to  call  out,  and  with  a  sob 
I  fell  across  the  bed,  as  Cousin  John  and  Hal 
Travers  galloped  out  of  the  place. 


198 


CHAPTER  XV, 

AN   ANCIENT   ENEMY 

I  THINK  no  maid  had  ever  a  harder  time  to 
keep  her  word  than  had  I  that  morning, 
when  I  listened  to  Cousin  John  and  those  with 
him  ride  out  of  the  Schneider  farm,  leaving  me 
behind.  Lying  weeping  on  my  bed,  I  could  hear 
the  hoof-beats  of  their  horses  as  they  galloped 
rapidly  down  the  lane  leading  to  the  main  road, 
and  felt  assured  that  a  shout  from  me  would 
bring  them  back  in  an  instant,  and  that  naught 
thereafter  would  keep  my  friends  from  me. 

But  all  my  life  I  had  held  stern  notions  of 
honor  and  now,  though  safety  was  in  sight,  I 
could  not  break  my  word.  With  an  effort  I 
stifled  my  sobbing  to  listen.  Cousin  John's  voice 
giving  a  command  to  his  little  party  came  back  to 
me,  and  the  hollow  echo  as  the  fast-moving  horses 
crossed  a  little  bridge;  but  at  last,  strain  as  I 
would,  I  could  catch  no  further  sounds.  They 
were  gone,  never  knowing  that  she  for  whom 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

they  sought  was  eating  her  heart  out  in  a  little 
room  scarce  fifty  feet  away. 

I  knew  then  that  all  the  while  I  had  been  plan- 
ning to  pry  out  the  bars  of  my  window  or  seek 
some  other  means  of  escape,  I  had  in  reality  al- 
ways counted  upon  Cousin  John,  or  some  one 
from  Denewood,  to  rescue  me;  and  they  had 
come — and  gone  away  again!  Mrs.  Schneider 
was  not  a  person  who  roused  suspicion  of  under- 
hand dealings  and  it  was  impossible  that  they 
should  search  every  room  in  every  house  or  cot- 
tage for  miles  about  the  country.  All  that  could 
be  done  was  to  ask  for  news  of  me  and,  failing 
that,  to  go  on  to  the  next  farm. 

Now  I  must  abandon  hope  of  help  from 
home.  The  search  would  go  on,  of  course;  but 
they  would  scarce  waste  time  covering  the  same 
ground  twice. 

Yet  even  in  my  own  sorrow  and  disappoint- 
ment I  could  not  help  but  feel  a  deep  pang  for 
Bee  who  loved  me  dearly,  and  I  pictured  her  and 
Mrs.  Mummer  sadly  disappointed  when  no  word 
of  my  whereabouts  was  forthcoming. 

Many  unhappy  thoughts  passed  through  my 
mind  as  I  lay  face  down  on  my  bed,  feeling  very 

200 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

lonesome,  very  forlorn  and  altogether  forsaken. 
There  was  now  no  prospect  of  rescue  to  keep  up 
my  courage,  and  for  a  long  time  I  abandoned  my- 
self to  my  misery. 

But  at  length  I  roused  and  dried  my  eyes. 

"I  must  e'en  depend  upon  myself,"  I  said,  half 
aloud;  "crying  will  do  no  good/'  and  I  sat  up  on 
the  edge  of  the  bed,  resolved  to  be  free  if  it  were 
possible. 

Truth  to  tell,  I  was  fair  desperate  now,  seeing 
that  I  must  rely  wholly  upon  my  own  resources, 
and  I  looked  about  the  room  for  a  means  of  es- 
cape much  more  seriously  than  I  had  at  first. 

But  nothing  new  presented  itself  to  me.  The 
bars  at  the  windows  were  just  as  strong,  the 
oaken  door  just  as  stout,  and  the  walls  as  thick 
as  ever. 

Here  I  took  thought.  After  all,  how  thick 
were  those  walls?  They  were  plastered,  to  be 
sure,  and  it  had  never  occurred  to  me  before  that 
they  might  offer  any  solution  to  my  problem.  I 
sat  pondering  this  diligently,  and  one  thing  at 
least  there  was  in  my  favor.  The  room  next  to 
mine  was  unoccupied.  Had  any  one  been  using 
it  I  must  have  heard  them  unless,  unlike  all  the 

20 1 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

rest  of  the  house,  it  was  carpeted,  and  this  I 
thought  not  at  all  probable.  From  the  position 
of  the  doors  on  the  stair  landing,  I  knew  which 
wall  separated  the  two  rooms.  Would  it  be  pos- 
sible to  dig  my  way  through  into  that  other  cham- 
ber and  so  out  of  the  house,  at  night  when  all 
slept  ? 

A  little  thought  convinced  me  that  this  might 
be  done,  but  the  process  would  require  consider- 
able time  and  secrecy  on  my  part.  How  could  I 
dig  my  way  through  the  wall  and  yet  conceal  the 
hole  while  I  was  doing  it?  It  seemed  not  easy 
until  I  realized  that  behind  the  bed  was  a  place  I 
might  work  and  none  be  the  wiser. 

Slipping  back  of  it  I  took  a  hair-pin  and 
scratched  the  plaster.  To  my  great  delight  I 
found  it  soft  and  quite  different  from  the  mortar 
that  had  been  used  to  cement  the  bars.  With 
enough  patience,  and  something  to  pick  with,  I 
might  in  time  dig  a  hole  big  enough  to  crawl 
through.  At  least  it  was  my  only  hope,  and  I 
determined  to  make  the  attempt. 

While  I  sat  by  the  window  wondering  how  I 
could  manage  to  get  a  better  instrument  than  a 
hairpin  to  break  my  way  out,  Mrs.  Schneider  en- 

202 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

tered  with  a  broom  and  a  duster,  evidently  bent 
upon  cleaning.  It  was  her  first  visit  to  me  that 
morning  and  she  at  once  showed  me  that  she  was 
pleased  that  I  had  made  up  my  bed.  This  put 
another  thought  into  my  mind  and  by  dint  of 
gestures  and  at  last  taking  the  besom  out  of 
her  hands  and  going  through  the  motions  of 
sweeping,  I  made  it  plain  to  her  that  I  wished  to 
attend  to  the  room  myself,  having  naught  else 
to  do.  This  seemed  to  put  her  into  a  fine  humor, 
and  she  left  me  to  do  my  own  tidying. 

Thus  I  was  assured  of  privacy  behind  my  bed, 
which  was  important,  for  it  gave  me  the  means 
of  hiding  any  dust  or  dirt  that  might  be  made  by 
digging  through  the  plaster.  So  I  set  to  work 
with  a  will,  though  the  room  needed  little  to  make 
it  speckles s. 

All  the  while  I  was  thinking  diligently  upon 
the  problem  of  a  fit  instrument  to  scrape  the 
plaster  and  at  length  hit  upon  a  knitting-needle 
as  something  I  might  be  able  to  obtain  without 
exciting  suspicion;  so,  when  a  little  later  Mrs. 
Schneider  reappeared,  I  tried  to  make  her  under- 
stand that  I  did  not  like  sitting  idle  with  my  hands 
in  my  lap,  and  thought  I  imitated  the  motions 

203 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

of  knitting  to  perfection.  At  any  rate  she  smiled 
saying  "Ja !  Ja !"  and  nodding  up  and  down  that 
she  understood.  But  alas,  she  brought  me  strips 
of  cloth  with  thread,  and  naught  to  serve  my 
purpose  save  a  needle  almost  too  fine  for  the 
patchwork;  but  I  dared  not  protest,  and  though 
I  felt  anything  but  happy  over  it,  I  smiled  and 
thanked  her. 

Most  of  that  day  I  sat  sewing  diligently,  and 
finished  putting  together  the  bits  of  stuff,  and 
then  it  popped  into  my  head  that  a  pair  of  shears 
would  be  the  very  thing  I  wanted. 

When  later,  by  wiggling  my  fingers  like 
scissors,  I  made  this  plain  to  Mrs.  Schneider,  she 
shook  her  head,  "Nein,"  and  though  she  was 
good-natured  enough  about  it,  seeming  to  regret 
that  she  could  not  comply,  she  still  denied  my 
request,  so  that  I  was  forced  to  the  conclusion 
that  what  I  wanted  was  in  use  or  forbidden.  So 
all  that  I  got  by  this  attempt  was  the  loss  of  the 
silver  thimble  from  my  housewife,  for  when  Mrs. 
Schneider  gathered  up  the  patchwork,  it  must 
have  been  rolled  in  it  and  having  no  German,  I 
never  attempted  to  ask  her  for  it,  though  I  de- 
termined to  make  another  effort  to  obtain  knit- 

204 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

ting-needles.  To  my  great  joy  this  time  she  un- 
derstood and  went  forthwith  to  fetch  them.  She 
returned  almost  at  once  with  a  huge  ball  of  yarn 
and  the  needles ;  but  my  heart  sank  as  I  saw  them, 
for  they  were  of  bone  and  no  good  for  my  pur- 
pose. 

I  could  have  cried  with  vexation  while  I  smiled 
and  thanked  Mrs.  Schneider,  and  when  she  went 
out  of  the  room  I  had  little  inclination  to  begin; 
for  setting  a  stocking  on  the  needles  was  ever  a 
task  I  liked  to  avoid.  Finally,  however,  it  must 
be  done  and  I  started  to  work,  thinking  all  the 
while  how  I  was  to  find  a  way  out  of  my  bond- 
age; but  in  the  end  I  was  forced  to  depend  upon 
my  hairpin  and  the  broken  pair  of  embroidery 
scissors  from  my  housewife. 

That  night  when  the  house  quieted  down  after 
supper,  I  pulled  my  bed  softly  away  from  the 
wall  and,  choosing  a  place  near  the  floor,  began 
my  task.  It  was  slow  work,  though  I  soon  found 
that  the  little  scissors  served  the  purpose  better 
than  a  hairpin,  the  plaster  being  sufficiently  soft 
to  crumble  under  their  attack.  I  had  spread  my 
petticoats  to  catch  the  dust,  and  picked  away 
in  the  dark,  taking  as  much  comfort  as  I  could 

205 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

out  of  the  fact  that  at  last  I  was  doing  some- 
thing toward  my  freedom;  but  the  process  was 
very  slow  and  I  foresaw  that  it  would  be  many 
days  ere  I  could  get  my  head  through  the  wall, 
much  less  my  body. 

All  at  once  the  scissors-blade  went  through 
the  plaster  and  I  thought  that  I  had  pierced  the 
wall,  though  it  seemed  amazing  thin. 

But  when,  after  enlarging  the  hole,  I  felt  in- 
side with  my  finger,  it  came  in  contact  with  a 
rough  piece  of  wood.  I  did  not  make  this  out, 
and  being  tired  and  sleepy  it  seemed  best  to  rest 
and  wait  for  dawn  to  inspect  my  work. 

Before  any  one  else  in  the  house  was  astir  I 
was  up,  nibbling  like  a  mouse  at  my  hole  again, 
but  I  was  soon  to  find  my  task  was  not  to  be  so 
easy  as  I  had  hoped  when  I  began.  There  was 
stout  lath  as  well  as  crumbling  plaster  in  that 
wall,  and,  without  tools,  it  was  impossible  for 
me  to  make  much  headway.  With  a  heavy  heart 
I  concealed  all  traces  of  my  night's  labor,  then 
crawled  back  into  bed,  despairing  of  ever  getting 
away  till  Jasper  Pilgrim  gave  the  word;  but  I 
continued  the  work  at  intervals  in  the  days  that 
followed. 

206 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

I  had  scarce  finished  my  breakfast  and  tidied 
up  the  room  one  morning,  when  I  heard  the  noise 
of  some  one  ascending  the  stair  and  presently  a 
knock  sounded  on  my  door.  Now  a  knock  was 
so  unusual  that  I  stared  a  moment,  then,  rec- 
ollecting, I  bade  whoever  it  was  to  come  in. 

There  was  some  fumbling  at  the  lock,  as  if  the 
person  who  handled  the  key  was  unfamiliar  with 
it,  but  at  length  the  door  opened  and  the  man  I 
had  seen  with  Jasper  Pilgrim  entered,  followed 
by  Mrs.  Schneider  who  awaited  the  completion 
of  his  errand  in  silence. 

This  was  the  first  time  I  had  really  had  a  good 
look  at  this  man's  face,  and  now  that  I  saw  him 
more  closely  my  memory  was  stirred,  and  the 
more  I  gazed  the  more  certain  I  became  that  I 
had  seen  him  before.  Then,  like  a  flash,  I  re- 
membered who  he  was,  though  it  was  nigh  ten 
years  since  I  had  met  him. 

"You  are  Captain  Blundell,"  I  cried,  leaping 
to  my  feet. 

"At  your  service,"  he  sneered  with  a  mocking 
bow,  "though  't  is  not  the  name  I  go  by  in  these 
parts,"  he  added. 

At  once  I  understood  why  Bee  had  cried  out  at 
207 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

sight  of  him  upon  the  road  and  had  set  spurs 
to  her  horse  to  be  rid  of  him.  She  held  this  man 
to  be  her  evil  genius,  though,  in  the  past  she  had 
always  thwarted  him.  He  had  been  a  captain 
in  the  British  army  when  we  first  knew  him,  and 
had  it  not  been  for  Bee,  would  have  burned  Dene- 
wood  over  our  heads. 

Later,  in  the  South,  Bee  had  rescued  Cousin 
John  from  him. 

I  had  only  s  een  him  at  Denewood  when  he  and 
his  troop  were  quartered  upon  us  during  the 
British  occupation  of  Philadelphia,  but,  though 
I  was  scarce  more  than  a  baby  at  the  time,  his 
villainies  had  made  such  an  impression  upon  my 
innocent  mind  that  'twould  have  been  strange 
had  I  forgot  his  evil  face. 

"What  do  you  want  with  me?"  I  demanded, 
though  I  guessed  what  his  errand  was. 

"Nay,  be  not  so  short  with  a  man  who  would 
do  you  a  service,"  he  answered  with  a  twisted 
smile  upon  his  lips,  as  if  it  irked  him  to  be  pleas- 
ant. 

"Come  to  the  point,"  I  retorted  angrily,  for 
I  liked  not  the  man  nor  his  manner  toward  me. 

208 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

"As  you  will,"  he  replied.  "I  'm  looking  for 
a  ring — a  peculiar  ring  that — " 

"Aye,  your  partner,  Jasper  Pilgrim,  is  after 
the  same,"  I  interrupted.  "He  has  not  found  it 
yet." 

"As  to  a  partnership,"  he  replied  evenly,  "I 
think  that  is  well-nigh  dissolved.  I  can  scarce 
use  him  further.  But  touching  the  matter  of  a 
certain  ring — " 

"You  but  waste  your  time  coming  to  me  for 
it,"  I  burst  out.  "I  have  not  the  ring." 

"Of  that  I  am  well  assured,"  he  said,  still  keep- 
ing up  his  air  of  lightness,  "but  it  is  in  my  mind 
that  you  know  where  it  is." 

"Mayhap  or  mayhap  not,"  I  answered.  "At 
any  rate  I  shall  not  tell  you  aught  of  it." 

"Oh,  will  you  not,"  he  growled,  all  pretense 
gone  from  his  bearing.  "Will  you  not,  indeed! 
Not  for  your  freedom?" 

"I  want  it  not  at  your  hands,  Captain  Blun- 
dell,"  I  replied.  "I  would  rather  stay  here." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders,  his  lips  curling  in 
a  smile  of  scorn. 

"Very  well.  You  may  stay  an  the  place  pleases 
209 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

you.     Nevertheless  you  will  tell  me  where  the 
ring  is!"  he  went  on  insolently. 

"Never!"  I  cried. 

"Not  for  the  sake  of  the  boy?"  he  asked. 

"What  boy?"  I  demanded. 

"The  one  with  Mistress  Beatrice  Travers,"  he 
replied,  drawling  the  name.  "I  know  not  what 
the  brat  is  called,  but  I  can  lay  hands  on  him  an 
I  want  to." 

"Nay,  you  can't  fright  me  that  way,"  I  laughed 
back.  "You  would  not  dare  to  enter  Denewood. 
They  'd  whip  you  off  the  place." 

He  scowled  darkly,  but  still  kept  up  the  sem- 
blance of  a  mocking  mirth. 

"They  scarce  guard  the  house  at  night,"  he 
remarked,  "and  it  is  easy  of  entrance,  if  one  but 
knows  the  way." 

"You  wouldn't  face  John  Travers,  night  or 
day,"  I  taunted  him. 

"If  there  was  need  I  might,"  he  answered; 
"but,  seeing  that  both  he  and  his  lady  are  on 
their  way  to  Delaware  to  look  for  you,  I  need  not 
hesitate  on  that  score." 

"To  Delaware?"  I  murmured  in  astonishment; 
"looking  for  me?'* 

'210 


"Xay,  be  not  so  short  with  a  man  who  would  do  you 
a  service,"  he  answered 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

"Aye,"  he  replied,  with  an  evil  smile.  "They 
were  somewhat  exercised  over  your  disappear- 
ance and,  having  searched  the  country  about  here 
without  success,  they  were  quite  ready  to  start 
on  a  wild-goose  chase  to  Delaware.  You  may 
be  interested  to  learn  that  I  caused  the  rumor  to 
be  put  about  that  you  had  been  seen  faring  that 
way."  He  ended  with  a  laugh,  occasioned  no 
doubt  by  the  blank  expression  of  my  face. 

"Cousin  John  and  Bee  gone!"  I  murmured  to 
myself.  "Looking  for  me?" 

"Aye,"  said  Blundell.  "So  you  see,  should  I 
take  a  notion  to  the  child,  I  need  not  fear  the  re- 
doubtable Mr.  Travers." 

"But  the  servants  and  Mrs.  Mummer  are 
there.  You'll  not  fool  them!"  I  retorted  with 
spirit  and  confidence. 

"All  things  are  easy,  if  one  but  knows  the 
way,"  he  answered.  "And  I  know  a  way  from 
the  spring  house  to  the  fireplace  in  a  room  that 
used  to  be  the  nursery." 

At  those  words  my  face  must  have  blanched, 
for  indeed  he  was  speaking  of  a  thing  I  thought 
not  more  than  half  a  dozen  people  in  all  the 
world  were  aware  of.  Behind  the  fireplace,  in 

213 


the  day-nursery,  on  the  upper  floor  of  the  Dene- 
wood  house,  there  is  an  entrance  into  a  secret 
passage  that  leads  down  a  rough  stair  built  in 
between  the  walls,  and  going  underground,  opens 
in  a  sort  of  cave  in  the  spring-house.  I  found 
it  when  I  was  a  wee  girl,  and  Bee  always  called 
it  'Teg's  mouse's  hole,"  because  that  was  the 
name  I  gave  it.  But  except  for  Bee  and  Cousin 
John,  Bart  my  brother,  and  Allen  McLane,  none 
were  supposed  to  know  of  it.  That  secret  gave 
Blundell  an  entrance  to  the  house  wholly  unsus- 
pected to  those  left  in  it,  and  put  its  inmates  at 
his  mercy. 

"How  knew  you  of  that?"  I  half-whispered, 
for  I  was  greatly  frightened  and  saw  that  in- 
deed the  man  had  the  upper  hand  of  me. 

"What  difference  does  it  make  how  I  know,  so 
long  as  I  do  know?"  he  replied;  "but,  since  you 
ask,  I  will  tell  you  that  the  magus  Schmuck,  be- 
ing interested  some  years  ago  in  finding  a  map, 
and  having  reason  to  believe  it  was  hid  in  Dene- 
wood,  hit  upon  the  secret  stairway ;  though,  to  be 
sure,  it  never  helped  him  to  the  map.  I  shared 
his  discovery  and  now  find  it  suits  my  purpose 

214 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

to  visit  the  house  again.  T'  is  a  fine  house,  think 
you  not  ?"  he  ended  with  a  shrug  and  a  bow,  as  if 
he  talked  of  trivial  matters. 

"You  would  not  take  the  child,"  I  said. 

"Why  not?"  he  asked— then  bitterly,  "Think 
you  I  love  John  Travers  and  his  wife  so  well  that 
I  would  weep  if  they  suffered?  You  see  what 
I  've  come  to,"  he  went  on  in  a  burst  of  passion. 
"I,  a  man  of  position  in  my  own  country,  brought 
to  plotting  with  a  scoundrel  like  Pilgrim.  And 
all  because  of  these  Denewood  folk  who  inter- 
fered with  my  plans  years  ago.  I  tell  you  once 
and  for  all,  I  shall  have  the  ring  or  the  child! 
You  can  take  your  choice." 

"But  I  have  it  not,"  I  answered,  in  agony.  "I 
gave  it  to  Mark  Powell,  and  he — " 

"Very  well,"  he  broke  in,  "then  I  take  the 
child,"  and  he  half  turned  toward  the  door  as  if 
to  go. 

"Stay!"  I  cried,  for  there  was  no  doubt  the 
man  held  me  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  What 
cared  I  for  the  ring  or  anything  else  when  little 
Jack  was  in  the  balance?  He  might  have  all  I 
possessed  in  the  world  to  forego  his  purpose,  for 

215 


PEG  O'  T.HE  RING 

that  he  had  the  means  to  fulfil  it  I  no  longer 
doubted.  His  knowledge  of  the  secret  passage 
made  me  helpless. 

"Speak  up,"  he  commanded,  hardly  stopping; 
"I  Ve  no  time  to  lose." 

"I  mentioned  a  place  where  I  keep  the  ring," 
I  faltered.  "I  know  not  whether  Mark  put  it 
back  there  or  not.  But  I  think  he  will  have  done 


so." 


"Where  is  that?"  he  demanded,  so  eagerly  that 
I  saw  the  ring  meant  a  great  deal  to  him. 

"I  must  have  my  freedom  if  I  tell  you  where 
it  is,"  I  answered  stiffly. 

"That's  fair  enough,"  he  replied,  "but  I  shall 
not  dare  to  enter  the  house  at  Denewood  until, 
say  eleven  o'clock.  By  that  time  the  servants 
will  be  sound  asleep  and  I  can  find  the  ring — 
or  the  child — without  disturbing  them.  It  would 
take  an  hour's  hard  riding  to  get  here  afterward, 
which  would  bring  the  time  to  midnight.  You 
would  scarce  care  to  take  the  road  at  that  hour, 
so  I  fear  to-morrow  morning  will  be  the  earliest 
you  can  look  for  freedom." 

"And  you  will  not  take  the  child  if  I  tell  you 
where  the  ring  is?"  I  begged,  desperately. 

216 


AN  ANCIENT  ENEMY 

Though  he  said  "yes"  or  "no"  made  little  dif- 
ference, for  I  could  not  trust  the  man,  yet  I  had 
to  trust  him,  and  longed  for  some  assurance. 

"The  child  would  only  hamper  me,"  he  re- 
turned. 

"Very  well,  then,"  I  said.  "Listen.  My 
room  is  next  the  room  you  enter  coming  by  the 
secret  passage,  and  the  ring  is  hid  in  my  powder- 
ing-box,"  I  ended.  The  moment  the  words  were 
out  of  my  mouth  he  gave  a  cry  of  joy. 

"Ah  ha!  Mistress  Peggy,"  he  cried,  "I'll  find 
my  way  to  the  ring,  never  fear,  and  until  to-mor- 
row, good-day  to  you,"  and  out  he  went  excitedly, 
running  down  the  steps  two  at  a  time,  followed 
more  slowly  by  Mrs.  Schneider  who  stayed  to 
lock  the  door  with  her  usual  deliberation. 

I  had  parted  with  my  ring  and  was  no  nearer 
freedom  than  before ;  but  that  was  not  what  trou- 
bled me.  This  sudden  appearance  of  Captain 
Blundell,  and  the  menace  of  his  revengeful  pres- 
ence, put  a  fear  into  my  heart  that  thrust  all  else 
into  the  background. 


217 


CHAPTER  XVI 

FRIEND  OR   FOE 

CAPTAIN  BLUNDELL'S  departure  left  me 
truly  desperate.  The  need  to  warn  those  at 
Denewood  ere  eleven  o'clock  that  night  was  so 
pressing  that  my  escape  from  the  Schneiders' 
was  no  longer  a  matter  touching  only  my  own 
comfort  and  convenience.  The  more  I  thought 
upon  it  the  more  miserable  I  became,  for  I  could 
put  no  trust  in  the  man's  promises  either  to  lib- 
erate me  on  the  morrow  or  not  to  take  little  Jack. 

And  his  knowledge  of  the  secret  entrance  to 
Denewood  gave  him  so  great  a  power  that  even 
had  Cousin  John  and  Bee  been  at  home  he  might 
still  have  been  successful.  But,  by  his  connivance, 
they  were  away ;  and  that  fact  in  itself  showed  all 
too  plainly  that  there  had  been  a  well-laid  plan 
to  insure  the  success  of  his  venture. 

Nor  could  I  doubt  the  man  told  the  truth  about 
how  he  came  by  his  knowledge  of  the  passage. 
We  all  knew  there  had  been  an  unseen  visitor  at 

218 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

Denewood  upon  more  than  one  occasion,  who,  on 
a  search  for  a  map,  had  turned  things  upside 
down  in  both  Cousin  John's  and  Bee's  rooms. 
Naught  had  been  stolen,  and,  perhaps  on  that  ac- 
count, less  was  made  of  these  strange  visitations 
than  would  have  been  the  case  otherwise.  We 
had  wondered  how  this  mysterious  person  had 
made  an  entrance  without  any  one  being  aware 
of  it,  and  here  was  the  explanation.  Schmuck 
the  magus,  the  father  of  Bill  Schmuck,  Cousin 
John's  faithful  body-servant,  had  found  the  pas- 
sage, and  let  Blundell  into  the  secret.  But  how 
could  Mrs.  Mummer  and  the  servants,  who  knew 
naught  of  its  existence,  be  expected  to  guard  it? 

I  must  escape  in  time  at  any  cost. 

Another  matter,  too,  disturbed  me.  I  was  by 
no  means  sure  that  Mark  Powell  would  have  put 
the  ring  in  the  box  as  I  had  suggested.  There 
had  been  no  definite  request  for  'him  to  do  it. 
My  mention  of  it  had  been  in  a  bantering  spirit, 
and  it  was  not  unlikely  that  he  might  have  given 
it  to  Bee  for  safekeeping.  In  that  case  Blun- 
dell, missing  the  ring,  would  take  the  child  out 
of  revenge,  thinking  I  had  befooled  him  of  a  set 
purpose. 

219 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

I  sat  by  the  window  quite  distracted,  knowing 
not  what  I  could  do,  puzzling  over  and  over  again 
the  same  situation  without  finding  a  circumstance 
to  give  me  comfort.  As  I  gazed  out,  giving 
scant  heed  to  what  went  on  below  me,  I  heard 
the  clatter  of  two  horses  entering  the  place  with 
the  usual  accompaniment  of  the  dog's  barking. 
In  a  moment  Jasper  Pilgrim,  whom  I  had  not 
seen  for  days,  and  another  rode  up  to  the  barns 
and  dismounted. 

The  newcomer  was  a  stranger  to  me,  but  at 
first  glance  I  saw  that  he  was  not  of  Jasper  Pil- 
grim's stamp.  He  was  quite  young,  hardly  more 
than  a  boy,  and  dressed  most  fashionable,  though 
he  was  somewhat  splashed  from  riding.  Plainly 
he  was  a  gentleman,  and  my  eye  had  not  looked 
upon  his  like  since  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  had 
been  a  visitor  at  Denewood.  My  heart  gave  a 
bound  of  hope,  for  in  him  it  seemed  I  might  find 
one  to  help  me. 

My  first  object,  however,  was  to  attract  his 
attention  without  breaking  my  promise  not  to 
call  for  aid.  He  must  be  made  aware  that  I  was 
in  the  house,  for  once  he  left  the  barns  he  might 
not  come  that  way  again  at  all. 

220 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

On  a  sudden  I  perched  myself  on  the  edge  of 
the  window,  grasped  the  bars  to  keep  my  balance 
and  lifted  my  voice  to  sing.  Albeit  my  song 
trembled  a  little  at  first,  the  ruse  served  its 
purpose. 

'  'Quaker,  Quaker,  how  art  thee?"  I  caroled 
my  loudest,  and  it  had  the  effect  I  desired. 

With  a  scowl  Jasper  Pilgrim  lifted  his  head, 
but  so  did  the  strange  young  man  upon  whose 
lips  I  saw  the  shadow  of  a  smile  at  the  words  of 
the  catch. 

"Thee   must   heed   her   not,"   cried   Pilgrim. 

'T  is  the  poor  daft  daughter  of  the  respectable 
woman  with  whom  we  are  to  lodge."  So  say- 
ing, he  stepped  out  of  sight,  expecting  no  doubt 
that  the  young  man  would  follow,  but  the  latter 
lingered  for  a  moment  and  I  saw  the  smile  fade 
from  his  face  as  he  looked  up  at  me. 

At  that  I  shook  my  head  vigorously  in  denial 
of  Pilgrim's  words  and  clasped  my  hands  in  sup- 
plication. This  greatly  surprised  him,  and  I  felt 
one  word  might  bring  the  help  I  was  in  such  sore 
need  of;  but  my  promise  still  held,  even  though 
now  I  was  not  the  one  most  deeply  concerned  in 
the  matter.  I  could  not  call  to  him  in  honor,  and 

221 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

after  a  moment's  lingering,  he  too  moved  out  of 
sight. 

But  Jasper  Pilgrim's  remark  to  the  young  man 
had  opened  my  mind  to  the  reasons  for  the 
strange  actions  of  the  Schneider  family.  I 
guessed  that  he  had  told  them  I  was  crazed,  and 
this  was  an  explanation  of  his  pretended  fear  of 
me  on  the  day  of  my  arrival.  Truly  he  had 
planned  well,  for  no  matter  what  I  might  have 
said  to  Mrs.  Schneider  could  I  have  made  her 
understand,  she  would  have  put  it  all  down  to 
what  she  supposed  was  my  mental  illness. 

But  I  had  scarce  time  to  ponder  this,  for  I 
heard  the  hurried  ascent  of  a  man,  with  small 
doubt  of  who  it  was. 

A  moment  later  Jasper  Pilgrim  burst  open  the 
door  and  confronted  me  angrily. 

"These  are  pretty  goings  on !"  he  cried.  "Dost 
think  to  make  a  mock  of  me  to  my  face  and  get 
off  scot  free?" 

"Getting  free  is  what  I  most  desire,"  I  re- 
turned, ready  now  to  do  aught  this  man  might 
wish.  "You  said  you  would  let  me  go  if  I  told 
you  where  the  ring  is.  Well,  I  'm  ready  to  tell 
you." 

!222 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

He  seemed  a  trifle  surprised,  but  his  habitual 
grin  showed  a  trace  of  triumph. 

"Good,"  he  muttered,  rubbing  his  hands; 
"where  is  it?" 

'T  is  in  my  room  in  Denewood  in  German- 
town,"  I  answered.  "Take  me  there  and  I  will 
hand  it  over  to  you." 

He  looked  at  me  keenly  for  an  instant,  then 
shook  his  head,  his  eyes  narrowing  cunningly  like 
a  fox's. 

"Nay;  thee  cannot  befool  me  so  easily,"  he  said. 
"First  I  must  have  the  ring —  Then  thee  can  go 
thy  ways." 

"But  how  can  that  be  managed  ?"  I  asked. 

*'  'T  is  not  difficult  to  write  a  note  to  thee's 
friends  in  Germantown;  but  why  has  thee 
changed  thy  mind  so  suddenly?" 

"I  must  be  at  Denewood  ere  sundown,"  I  told 
him,  thinking  of  naught  but  that.  "Get  me  ink 
and  paper  and  I  will  write,  if  you  promise  to  re- 
turn in  time  so  that  I  may  be  home  ere  it  is  dark." 

He  considered  for  a  moment,  then  with  a  shrug 
he  turned  on  his  heel. 

"Very  well,"  he  muttered;  "I  go  for  writing 
implements." 

223 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

He  was  away  but  a  few  moments,  return- 
ing presently  with  a  quill,  some  thick  ink  in  a 
bottle  and  a  sheet  of  coarse  paper.  These  he 
placed  upon  the  stool  and  motioned  me  to  take 
the  chair  before  it. 

"Now  write,"  he  said,  and  I  picked  up  the  quill 
and  prepared  to  set  it  to  the  paper, 

"Nay,  not  so  fast,"  he  went  on.  "I  '11  tell  thee 
what  to  say.  Whom  is  it  to  be  sent  to?" 

"Mrs.  Mummer,  the  housekeeper,"  I  answered. 

"Set  that  down,"  he  commanded,  and  upon  my 
doing  so  he  dictated  the  following  note  which  I 
wrote  out  faithfully: 

Dear  Mrs.  Mummer,  I  am  held  a  prisoner  until  I  give 
up  the  ring  which  thee  will  find  in  the  powdering-box  in 
my  room.  Please  hand  it  to  the  highly  honest  and  re- 
spectable gentleman  who  presents  this  note.  He  is  but 
a  faithful  messenger  and  has  naught  to  do  with  the  mat- 
ter that  is  in  any  way  reprehensible. 

"Now  sign  thy  name,"  he  ended,  with  a  queer 
chuckle  which  sounded  more  like  a  crow's  caw 
than  the  laugh  of  a  man. 

This  done,  he  took  the  short  letter  and  read 
it  through,  his  eyes  gleaming  with  pleasure. 

224 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

Doubtless  he  found  much  joy  in  the  words  de- 
scribing him. 

"And  now,"  he  said,  "to  prove  that  I  am  not 
so  hard  as  thee  thinks,  I  will  ride  fast,  both  there 
and  back,  to  give  thee  thy  liberty  as  soon  as  may 
be,"  with  which  words  he  left  the  room  and  I 
shortly  saw  him  ride  off  alone,  apparently  with 
every  intention  of  making  haste.  His  eagerness 
to  be  gone,  though  I  knew  it  was  for  his  own 
selfish  purpose,  yet  pleased  me,  and  I  resigned 
myself  to  awaiting  his  return  as  patiently  as 
might  be. 

But  it  was  a  good  three  hours  ere  he  came  and 
in  the  meantime  I  had  eaten  my  dinner  and  had 
grown  more  and  more  anxious. 

Blundell  had  said  that  Denewood  was  but  an 
hour  away.  Why  should  Jasper  Pilgrim  take  so 
long? 

He  came  at  last,  riding  furiously  into  the  place, 
and  as  he  flung  himself  off  his  tired  beast,  he 
turned  to  my  window  and  shook  his  fist  at  me. 
My  heart  sank  as  I  waited  for  him  to  clatter  up 
the  stair  and  enter  my  room. 

"Thee  stubborn  huzzy,"  he  shouted,  ere  he  was 
225 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

fairly  through  the  door,  "why  did  thee  send  me 
on  a  false  errand?" 

"Did  you  not  find  the  ring?"  I  gasped,  though 
of  course  I  knew  what  the  answer  must  be. 

"Nay,  the  woman  would  not  go  for  it,"  he 
cried.  "They  knew  thy  hand,  but  said  the  letter 
was  wrote  under  duress.  Oh,  look  not  so  in- 
nocent. Thee  knew  all  along  thee  was  sending 
me  into  a  trap.  Thee  saucy  jade !  Thee  thinks 
because  I  am  a  weak  old  man  I  cannot  harm  thee. 
Wait  till  my  wife  comes  in  the  morning.  I  '11 
see  thee  gets  the  beating  thee  deserves." 

But  his  threat  made  scarce  any  impression 
upon  me  then;  for  I  felt  sure  that  if  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer had  not  looked  for  the  ring  it  was  because  it 
was  not  there.  She  knew  that  Mark  Powell  had 
done  something  else  with  it.  In  which  case 
Blundell  would  not  find  it,  and  then — 

"You  must  take  me  to  Denewood !"  I  burst  out. 
"I  must  go  there.  And  I  promise  I  '11  give  the 
ring  to  you." 

"Oh,  't  is  likely  I  'd  go  back  there,"  he  fair 
screamed.  "Yea,  after  fleeing  for  my  life  from 
them.  Does  thee  know  how  they  set  upon  me? 
That  they  tried  to  keep  me  till  I  said  where  thee 

226 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

was  ?  That  they  were  going  to  beat  me  into  tell- 
ing them  and  that  it  was  through  sheer  luck  I 
escaped  ?  Oh,  I  '11  take  thee  back !" 

He  was  beside  himself  with  anger  and  I  knew 
it  was  useless  to  ask  aught  of  him  or  to  try  to 
bargain  further. 

"And  what  was  Sperry  doing  here?"  he  de- 
manded suddenly. 

"I  know  no  Sperry,"  I  answered. 

"So  thee  adds  falsehood  to  the  score  against 
thee,"  he  blustered ;  "the  reckoning  will  come  on 
the  morrow,  never  fear." 

"Nay,  I  'm  telling  you  the  truth,"  I  vowed 
stoutly.  "I  have  seen  no  one  but  Captain  Blun- 
dell." 

"Oh,  't  is  by  that  name  thee  knows  him,"  he 
muttered.  "Well,  mayhap  he  hath  a  dozen 
others.  He  wanted  to  know  of  the  ring,  I  war- 
rant thee?" 

"Yes,"  I  replied  shortly. 

"And  did  thee  tell  him  of  the  box  in  thy  room?" 
he  demanded  threateningly. 

"I  did,"  I  said,  not  caring  to  deny  it.  "He 
will  seek  the  ring  to-night." 

"To-night,"    he    muttered    to   himself,    then 
227 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

stopped  and  looked  at  me  a  little  perplexed.  "I 
think  thee  still  wishes  me  to  believe  thee  does  not 
know  thyself  where  the  ring  is/' 

"In  truth  I  fear  I  do  not,"  I  admitted;  "so  why 
not  let  me  go  in  search  of  it?" 

"Thee 's  a  cunning  one,  with  ever  an  answer 
ready/'  he  snarled.  "Nay,  nay!  Here  thee 
stays  till  I  get  the  truth  out  of  thee.  Ponder  it 
well,  and,  for  thee's  own  sake,  I  hope  the  morning 
brings  thee  better  council,"  and  with  that  he 
turned  on  his  heel  and  left  me. 

But  one  chance  of  escape  seemed  now  open  to 
me  and  that  could  scarce  be  called  a  chance.  I 
was  powerless  to  get  out  by  myself  and  the  only 
possible  source  of  help  was  the  young  stranger 
who  had  looked  up  at  me  that  morning.  True, 
he  had  seemed  to  have  pity  for  me,  but  I  had 
neither  seen  nor  heard  anything  of  him  since  that 
momentary  glimpse.  Would  he  come  to  my  aid  ? 
It  was  a  slender  thread  upon  which  to  hang  my 
only  hope. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  I  heard  footsteps  on  the 
bare  floor  of  the  stairs  and  I  thought  of  course 
it  was  another  unwelcome  visitor  to  me,  but  my 

228 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

attention  was  held  by  the  sound  of  a  new  voice 
speaking  outside  my  door. 

"It  may  be  'otter,  yet  I  shall  not  mind  that," 
he  said.  "The  good  doctor  he  order  that  I  sleep 
not  near  the  ground.  You  compre-hend  ?"  The 
words  were  spoken  as  might  a  Frenchman  and 
I  knew  it  must  be  the  youth  I  had  seen  that  morn- 
ing. 

"  'T  is  small,  but  thee  will  doubtless  be  com- 
fortable," Jasper  Pilgrim  remarked,  and  I  heard 
the  two  men  pass  into  the  chamber  next  to  mine. 
I  was  tense  with  eagerness  that  here  perchance 
was  coming  my  opportunity  to  summon  assist- 
ance. 

A  moment  later  Pilgrim  alone  went  down- 
stairs, and  as  I  heard  the  door  close  behind  him 
I  pulled  my  bed  aside  and  attacked  the  hole  I  had 
made  in  the  plaster.  I  must  speak  to  the  young 
Frenchman  and  to  do  that  a  small  opening  in  the 
plaster  beyond  the  laths  was  necessary. 

Madly  I  tore  the  pins  from  my  hair  and  went 
to  work.  I  waited  not  to  brush  up  the  dust,  but 
let  it  fall  as  it  would,  with  no  thought  of  what 
might  happen  if  I  was  there  on  the  morrow.  For 

229 


this  was  my  last  chance.  I  must  throw  myself 
on  the  mercy  of  this  French  youth  if  I  was  to 
save  little  Jack  from  Blundell. 

Suddenly  the  plaster  between  two  stout  laths 
gave  way,  and  I  knew  I  had  opened  a  hole,  albeit 
a  small  one,  and  listened  a  moment  to  see  if  the 
falling  plaster  might  have  drawn  the  attention 
of  the  young  man ;  but  though  I  heard  naught  of 
him,  the  sound  of  footsteps  ascending  the  stair 
were  plain  enough,  and  I  hurriedly  pushed  the  bed 
against  the  wall  to  be  prepared  for  whoever 
might  be  coming. 

It  was  naught  but  my  tray  of  supper  brought 
by  the  red-haired  girl.  She  set  it  down  and,  for 
the  second  time  in  our  acquaintance,  she  lin- 
gered a  moment. 

"Pretty  yentlemens,"  she  said,  nodding  toward 
the  wall  that  separated  the  rooms,  and  blushing 
at  her  attempt  at  English.  Plainly  the  young 
man  was  winning  golden  opinions  below  stairs, 
but  I  had  no  time  to  give  thought  to  that.  He 
might  at  any  moment  leave  his  room  and  I  knew 
not  when  he  would  return. 

Ordinarily  I  would  have  welcomed  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  friends  with  the  girl,  but  now  I 

230 


FRIEND  OR  FOE 

had  not  a  second  to  waste  upon  her.  I  wanted 
her  to  leave  me  as  quickly  as  possible  and  to  stay 
away;  so,  remembering  that  Jasper  Pilgrim  had 
said  I  was  daft,  I  thought  that  now  if  ever  was 
the  chance  to  take  advantage  of  his  falsehood. 

Leaping  to  my  feet,  I  made  a  dive  at  the  girl, 
twisting  my  face  into  a  horrible  grimace;  and 
with  one  half-stifled  gasp  of  fear,  she  dashed 
through  the  door,  locking  it  behind  her.  I  could 
count  upon  being  free  of  interruption  from  her 
for  some  time  to  come — and,  with  a  fast-beating 
heart,  I  pulled  away  my  bed  and  kneeling  on  the 
floor,  put  my  mouth  to  the  hole  I  had  made  in  the 
wall. 

The  moment  for  the  test  was  at  hand.  Would 
I  find  a  friend  or  a  foe? 


231 


CHAPTER  XVII 

PYRAMUS   AND   THISBE 

AND  now  that  the  opportunity  I  had  hoped 
for  was  come,  I  hesitated.  For  a  second  or 
two  I  kneeled  on  the  floor  with  my  face  close  to 
the  hole,  knowing  not  what  words  to  use  to  tell 
this  stranger  all  that  it  was  in  my  mind  to  say. 
I  thought  at  first  to  speak  in  French,  which  I 
could  do  passably  well  on  ordinary  occasions,  but 
seeing  that  Jasper  Pilgrim  had  used  English,  I 
dismissed  the  idea  of  trying  to  express  myself  in 
a  foreign  language.  I  would  be  sure  to  stutter. 

How  was  I  to  call  him?  What  should  I  say 
first?  I  was  eager  to  put  my  last  chance  to  the 
test  and  could  I  have  shouted  to  him  would  doubt- 
less have  found  my  tongue  readily  enough.  But 
to  whisper  seemed  to  put  a  halter  on  my  speech. 

Just  then  another  idea  came  to  me  which 
seemed  to  hold  out  a  surer  promise  of  saving  lit- 
tle Jack.  If  the  young  man  would  but  take  a 

232 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

message  to  Denewood  the  boy  would  be  protected 
from  Blundell,  and  my  liberation  could  wait  until 
that  was  made  certain. 

"Oh,  please,"  I  whispered,  through  the  hole 
in  the  wall,  "won't  you  help  me?"  I  had  found 
my  tongue  and  waited  a  second  for  a  response; 
but  none  came. 

"Oh,  please,  sir,"  I  said  again,  this  time  a  little 
louder. 

At  once  I  heard  a  movement  in  the  room  as  if 
the  young  man  had  risen  suddenly  to  his  feet, 
pushing  back  a  chair  upon  which  he  had  been 
sitting. 

"Where  are  you,  mademoiselle?"  he  whispered 
in  answer  after  an  instant. 

"Here  by  the  wall.  You  will  see  a  little  hole. 
Oh,  please  help  me!"  I  put  all  the  pleading  I 
could  into  my  words  and  was  overjoyed  to  hear 
him  moving  toward  me. 

For  another  long  moment  I  could  make  out  the 
faint  sounds  of  his  hands  as  they  felt  along  the 
wall,  and  then  the  light  coming  through  the  hole 
was  blocked. 

"I  have  foun'  it,  mademoiselle,"  he  murmured. 
"Speak." 

233 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"I  greatly  fear  they  will  hear  me  downstairs," 
I  replied,  "and  I  am  in  great  trouble." 

"Have  you  a  piece  of  paper?"  he  breathed 
back. 

"Yes." 

"Then  roll  it  into  what  you  call  a  come  d'abon- 
dance.  You  understan'?" 

"Yes,  a  cornucopia,"  I  replied. 

"That  is  it,"  he  said,  with  the  faintest  of 
laughs.  "Set  it  through  the  'ole  and  it  will  sen' 
to  me  your  voice  and  keep  it  from  traveling." 

The  only  bit  of  paper  I  had  was  the  small 
piece,  still  treasured  in  my  pack-pocket,  which  I 
had  taken  from  little  Jack  while  we  were  with 
Tiscoquam.  I  could  not  see  the  words,  but  I 
still  remembered  them.  "Overhaste  churns  bad 
butter."  Was  it  for  this  that  I  had  kept  it? 

I  rolled  it  into  a  little  tube  and  pushed  it 
through. 

"Can  you  hear  me?"  I  murmured  as  gently  as 
I  could. 

"Parfaitement,"  he  answered.  "Express  to 
me  what  you  would  'ave." 

"I  am  not  crazy,"  I  began. 

"There  is  no  need  to  tell  that,"  he  broke  in. 
234 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

"And  I  am  not  that  woman's  daughter/' 

"I  knew  that  the  momen'  I  behol'  you,"  he 
again  interrupted. 

"It  is  Jasper  Pilgrim  who  holds  me  here,  try- 
ing to  force  me  to  tell  him  something,"  I  tried 
to  explain. 

"He  is  the  oF  rascal/'  the  Frenchman  mur- 
mured, and  then  a  little  louder:  "If  mademoi- 
selle will  permit,  I  shall  be  honor'  to  escort  her 
where  she  will." 

"But  they  will  not  let  you,  monsieur!"  I  said. 
"They  are  many,  and — and  I  cannot  risk  that 
anything  should  happen  to  you." 

"Mais  non!  Think  only  of  yourself,  made- 
moiselle," he  replied,  gallantly.  "So  long  as  you 
escape — " 

"But  there  is  something  more  important  than 
my  escape,"  I  interrupted.  "I  must  send  a  mes- 
sage to  Germantown  before  eleven  o'clock  to- 
night, or  a  great  wrong  will  be  done." 

"Ah,  I  know  the  Germantown,"  he  whispered. 
"I  passed  that  way  yesterday.  I  shall  be  your 
messenger,  mademoiselle." 

"Oh,  will  you?"  I  burst  out,  nigh  forgetting  in 
my  gladness  to  keep  my  voice  lowered. 

235 


PEG  ,O'  1HE  RING 

"Mademoiselle  has  but  to  comman'  me,"  he  re- 
turned, and  I  could  imagine  a  polite  little  bow  as 
he  said  it. 

"Then  if  you  will  go  to  Germantown,  monsieur, 
once  there  any  one  can  tell  you  where  Denewood 
is,"  I  hastened  to  explain.  "It  is  the  estate  of 
my  cousin,  Mr.  John  Travers,  with  whom  I  live. 
He  and  Madam  Travers  are  not  at  home,  but 
the  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Mummer,  will  receive  you. 
Tell  her  not  to  let  little  Jack  out  of  her  sight, 
day  or  night.  Say  that  Peggy  sends  the  mes- 
sage." 

"And  you  are  Mademoiselle  Peggy?"  he  asked, 
politely. 

"I  am  Margaret  Travers,"  I  answered,  "but 
every  one  calls  me  Peggy." 

"Ah,  mademoiselle,"  he  went  on,  "permit  that 
I  introduce  myself.  "I  am  Gervaise  Etienne 
Louis  Victor  de  Soulange — at  your  service;  but 
one  cannot  remember  all  those  long  names,  so 
my  frien's — they  call  me  Victor." 

I  murmured  something  suitable,  but  with  all 
my  worry  and  perplexity  I  could  not  help  think- 
ing how  funny  was  this  introduction!  To  meet 
a  polished  French  gentleman  through  a  little  hole 

236 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

in  the  wall — and  with  such  a  long  name,  too! 
But  I  was  in  no  mood  even  to  smile. 

"And  you  will  take  the  message?"  I  asked, 
anxiously. 

"Most  certainly,  mademoiselle,"  he  answered, 
and  his  voice  had  in  it  a  tone  of  assurance  that 
lifted  a  load  from  my  heart.  I  felt  confident  he 
meant  what  he  said,  and  that  he  had  the  will  to 
go  through  with  whatever  he  might  undertake. 

"But  what  of  you,  mademoiselle?"  he  added, 
after  a  moment. 

"Oh,  I  will  be  all  right— only— "  I  hesitated 
— "only,  tell  them  to  hurry  here  in  the  morning, 
or  I  shall  be  beaten." 

"Beaten,"  he  echoed,  and  muttered  something 
under  his  breath.  "Mademoiselle,  it  is  unthink- 
able that  I  leave  you  to  be  beaten." 

"But  you  must  save  the  boy,"  I  hastened  to 
tell  him.  "Don't  concern  yourself  about  me." 

"That  is  impossible,  mademoiselle,"  he  replied, 
"but,  think,  can  we  not  both  escape  to  German- 
town  to-night  after  they  are  asleep?  'T  is  but 
an  hour's  ride." 

"Oh,  I  would  go  so  gladly,"  I  answered,  "but 
suppose  we  were  caught?  Then  there  would  be 

237 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

no  one  to  take  the  message  to  Denewood.  No, 
monsieur,  leave  me  to-night  and  go  alone.  The 
beating  comes  not  till  to-morrow  when  Mrs.  Pil- 
grim arrives." 

"Listen,  mademoiselle,"  he  said  earnestly.  "I 
am  a  man  of  honor,  and  could  not  in  decency  leave 
you  here  another  night.  I  have  think  of  you  all 
day  since  I  behol'  you  at  the  window  this  morn- 
ing. I  have  listen'  for  a  word  of  you.  Noth- 
ing !  I  have  look'  to  have  you  appear  down  the 
stairs.  Never !  So,  I  have  watch'  and  I  see  the 
women  come  upstairs  with  food  and  before  they 
go  they  take  a  great  key  which  is  hong  by  the 
door.  When  they  return  they  bring  again  the 
key  and  hang  it  up.  So  I  know  you  are  lock'  in 
this  room  and  that  is  why  I  deman'  to  come  up 
the  stair  for  my  sleeping-chamber.  They  would 
have  me  to  remain  below.  No !  I  tell  them  my 
doctor  will  not  let  me  sleep  so  near  the  ground. 
Indeed  that  is  true,  for  is  it  not  said  that  'every 
man  is  his  own  best  physician'?  And  it  has 
brought  me  to  your  help,  mademoiselle." 

"Oh,  thank  you,  monsieur,  if  you  will  but  carry 
word  to  Denewood  I  shall  always  be  grateful  to 
you." 

238 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

"Ah,  but  wait,"  he  murmured.  "The  key  it 
still  hang  there.  I  shall  take  it  and  open  your 
door.  Then  we  go." 

"But  if  we  are  caught,  monsieur,  I  have  no 
messenger." 

"That  is  true,"  he  conceded.  "Yet  wait,"  he 
went  on,  as  if  he  were  planning  something.  "Ah, 
I  have  it.  See!  I  go  downstairs  when  all  is 
quiet.  I  lif  the  key  and  go  outside.  If  I  am 
stop'  I  explain  that  it  is  so  'ot  and  say  something 
more  which  my  physician  has  think  of.  Then, 
mademoiselle,  you  will  drop  a  cord  from  your 
window  to  pull  up  the  key,  while  I  make  ready 
the  horse.  If  you  are  stop'  I  gallop  off  with 
your  message  and  bring  the  help  to  you.  If  not, 
we  go  together." 

To  that  plan  I  agreed,  though  I  should  have 
preferred  that  he  start  earlier  in  the  evening,  as  if 
to  take  a  ride,  and  leave  me  behind;  but  that  he 
would  not  willingly  do,  and,  truth  to  tell,  I  was 
glad  enough  to  see  a  way  of  escape,  if  it  did  not 
jeopardize  the  chance  of  warning  them  at  Dene- 
wood. 

"And  now,  monsieur,  you  must  go  down  stairs 
or  they  will  suspect  something,"  I  whispered. 

239 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"That  is  perhaps  best,  mademoiselle,"  he  ad- 
mitted, reluctantly.  "This  room  is  not  so  gay 
that  I  could  make  of  it  an  excuse  for  remaining 
in  it,  but  if  I  need  to  say  what  you  call  an  ex- 
planation, I  have  still  my  doctor !  I  fear,  made- 
moiselle, these  people  will  think  I  am  an  invalid 
tottering  to  my  grave." 

His  tone  was  so  light  and  confident  that  I  per- 
force caught  some  of  his  spirit  and  felt  happier 
than  for  many  a  day. 

After  he  had  gone  I  waited  as  patiently  as  I 
might  for  darkness  and  the  gradual  quieting  of 
the  house.  By  nine  o'clock  I  was  sure  they 
would  all  be  asleep,  or  near  it,  for  they  were 
country  folk.  That  would  give  us  two  good 
hours  to  reach  Denewood  ere  the  time  Blundell 
had  set  for  carrying  out  his  schemes  and  I  was 
most  hopeful  that  I  would  balk  them. 

Just  at  dusk  I  saw  Jasper  Pilgrim  go  hastily 
to  the  barn  and  in  a  few  moments  ride  off.  I 
was  not  sure,  in  the  uncertain  light,  that  it  was 
he,  till  the  dog  barked  and  he  called  out  an- 
grily to  it;  then  there  was  no  mistaking  his 
voice. 

"He  has  gone  for  his  wife  to  bring  me  that 
240 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

beating,"  I  said  to  myself,  and  was  half-way  be- 
tween tears  and  laughter  at  the  thought. 

It  seemed  an  interminable  time  before  the 
household  tasks  below  were  at  an  end,  but  at 
length  the  Schneiders  bed-hour  came,  and  M.  Vic- 
tor returned  up  the  stairs.  He  went  directly  to 
his  room  and  closed  the  door  with  a  bang,  while 
I,  with  fast-beating  heart,  hurried  to  the  hole 
in  the  wall. 

"Are  you  there,  mademoiselle  ?"  he  whispered. 

"Yes— is  it  time?"  I  asked. 

"In  a  few  moments  now.  Have  you  the  cord 
ready  to  pull  up  the  key?"  he  asked. 

"Oh,  I  had  forgotten,  but  I  will  find  something 
at  once,"  I  answered  with  a  pang  of  regret  at 
the  hours  I  had  wasted. 

"I  will  leave  my  cloak  at  your  door,"  he  went 
on.  "It  is  of  dark  color  and  will  serve  to  make 
you  less  notice'.  But  do  not  fear,  mademoiselle. 
All  will  be  well." 

A  few  minutes  later  I  heard  him  step  quietly 
out  of  his  room,  but  he  went  so  softly  that  I 
caught  no  creak  of  the  stairs  as  he  descended. 

Meanwhile  I  was  puzzling  my  head  over  what 
to  use  in  lieu  of  a  cord.  The  bed  was  covered 

24  j 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

with  a  patch-work  quilt  all  too  stout  to  tear  and 
so  marvelously  well  sewed  that  with  only  half 
a  scissors  I  could  not  start  a  thread.  My  petti- 
coat served  me  in  the  same  way.  It  was  one  of 
the  last  set  Mrs.  Mummer  had  bought  for  me, 
new  and  so  strong  that  I  was  forced  to  give  that 
up.  My  dress  was  tattered  at  the  hem,  but  it 
frayed  rather  than  tore,  and  this  exhausted  my 
resources.  I  began  to  despair  of  getting  so  sim- 
ple a  thing  as  a  cord  with  which  to  gain  my  lib- 
erty. 

Time  was  slipping  by.  At  any  moment  M. 
Victor  might  come  bringing  the  key — it  was  then 
I  bethought  me  of  my  hair.  In  my  haste  I  would 
have  snipped  it  all  off  had  I  possessed  a  pair  of 
shears,  but  pulling  it  out  one  hair  at  a  time  set 
me  thinking.  The  key  was  not  heavy.  Three 
or  four  single  hairs  twisted  together  would  cer- 
tainly carry  it  to  me  and,  saying  each  hair  was 
four  feet  long  and  the  distance  to  the  ground  no 
more  than  fifteen,  I  knew  I  should  have  my  cord 
if  I  knotted  together  four  strands  of  six  hairs 
each. 

This  I  did,  with  no  very  great  pleasure,  but 
when  I  came  to  lower  it  out  of  the  window  it 

242 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

floated  so  in  the  breeze  that  I  was  sure  it  would 
never  reach  the  ground.  Moreover,  no  one  could 
see  it  in  the  darkness. 

Pulling  it  back,  I  took  one  of  my  well-worn 
hairpins  and  bent  it  into  the  form  of  a  hook, 
which  I  knotted  to  the  end  of  my  line,  and,  to 
make  it  show,  stuck  my  precious  piece  of  paper 
on  like  bait.  Once  more  I  dropped  it  out  of  the 
window,  just  as  a  dim  shadow  came  toward  the 
house  from  the  direction  of  the  barn. 

It  was  the  young  Frenchman,  and  I  could  feel 
him  twitching  the  strands  of  hair  as  he  secured 
the  key.  Slowly  and  with  as  much  caution  as 
I  could  use  considering  my  impatience,  I  pulled 
it  up,  and  at  last  it  was  in  my  hand. 

I  wasted  no  time  in  regrets  at  leaving  that  little 
room  and  hurried  to  the  door  on  tiptoe. 

But  the  minute  I  started  to  put  the  key  in  the 
lock,  the  noise  made  by  the  rusty  metal  seemed 
so  loud  to  my  sensitive  ears  that  I  stopped  ap- 
palled. The  next  instant  I  breathed  a  sigh  of 
relief  and,  going  to  my  supper-tray  which  was 
sitting  on  the  chair,  I  rubbed  a  good  piece  of  but- 
ter on  the  key,  leaving  enough  to  oil  the  lock 
somewhat  also. 

243 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

This  served  admirably,  albeit  the  bolt  still 
grated  more  loudly  than  I  could  have  wished,  but 
at  last  the  door  was  open  and  I  was  on  the  little 
landing  at  the  top  of  the  stairs. 

My  foot  struck  the  cloak  M.  Victor  had  left 
for  me  and  as  I  picked  it  up  I  felt  also  a  hat 
which  I  clapped  on  my  head  with  a  nervous  and 
silent  little  laugh.  My  own  had  been  taken  from 
me,  and  doubtless  the  Frenchman  had  thought  of 
that  possibility  when  he  left  the  cloak. 

But  as  luck  would  have  it  that  garment  was 
nigh  my  undoing.  I  had  descended  the  stairs 
quite  noiselessly  and  was  making  my  way  across 
the  large  kitchen  when  the  skirt  of  the  cloak 
caught  the  handle  of  a  mop  and  brought  it  clat- 
tering to  the  floor  with  a  great  racket. 

I  gasped  for  breath  in  my  flight  and  stood 
rigid,  listening  intently.  But  I  was  not  kept  long 
in  doubt.  Almost  on  the  instant  a  door  from  one 
of  the  rooms  was  opened,  and  a  dim,  white  figure 
appeared. 

"Wer  geht  da !"  came  the  question,  in  the  voice 
of  the  red-haired  daughter  of  Mrs.  Schneider. 

My  first  instinct  was  to  fly,  but  that  would  cer- 
tainly raise  the  alarm  and  bring  the  household 

244 


PYRAMUS  AND  THISBE 

about  my  ears.  I  knew  that  she  could  see  me  but 
vaguely  and  I  determined  to  put  my  French  to 
some  account  at  last. 

I  whipped  off  my  hat  and  made  a  low  bow  in 
her  direction. 

"II  fait  si  chaud,  mademoiselle,"  I  murmured. 
"So  'ot,  in  English.  I  go  to  tak'  the  air,  as  I  can- 
not sleep.  It  desolate'  me  to  disturb  your  slum- 
ber'." 

I  cannot  say  how  good  my  imitation  was,  but 
it  passed.  With  a  giggle  the  girl  retreated  into 
her  room,  and  in  another  moment  I  was  outside 
the  house. 

I  ran  to  the  barns,  and  there  stood  M.  Victor's 
horse,  saddled  with  a  pillion  behind,  all  ready  for 
our  departure. 

"Good,  mademoiselle !"  he  murmured.  "Come ! 
We  was'e  no  time,"  and  in  another  moment  we 
were  mounted  and  ready  to  pick  our  way  over  the 
grass  and  so  to  the  road. 

But  we  had  forgot  the  dog.  Scarce  had  the 
horse  taken  a  step  when  out  burst  a  series  of 
howls  that  were  enough  to  wake  the  dead. 

On  the  instant  it  seemed  that  everybody  roused 
at  once.  There  were  shouts  from  all  sides. 

245 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Hold  hard,  mademoiselle,"  cried  M.  Victor. 
"We  will  not  stay  to  parley,  eh?"  and  he  gave 
the  horse  a  cut  with  his  whip  and  off  we  galloped 
to  the  road. 


246 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
STOP  T'IEF 

THERE  was  a  perfect  Bedlam  of  noises  be- 
hind us  as  we  turned  out  of  the  gate.     I 
was  inclined  to  be  alarmed,  but  M.  Victor  was  in 
the  gayest  of  moods. 

"We  have  wake'  more  than  one  dog,  made- 
moiselle," he  cried,  "and  all  bark!" 

"Would  it  not  have  been  better  to  take  another 
horse  for  me?"  I  asked,  seeing  that  if  we  were 
pursued  our  beast,  carrying  double,  would  be  at 
a  disadvantage. 

"I  have  think  of  that,"  he  answered,  "but  I  like' 
not  to  make  free  with  the  horses  of  strangers. 
Already  they  cry  thief.  But  do  not  fear,  made- 
moiselle. We  shall  win  to  the  Germantown." 

He  spoke  so  confidently  that  I  caught  the  in- 
fection of  his  high  spirits. 

"I  would  I  could  see  Jasper  Pilgrim's  face  in 
the  morning  when  he  comes  back  to  give  me  that 
beating,"  I  laughed. 

247 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

"Ah,  do  not  speak  of  it,  mademoiselle,"  M. 
Victor  burst  out  wrathfully.  "  The  man  is  a 
beast." 

"Nay,  be  not  so  serious,"  I  replied.  "I  am 
done  with  him  now.  I  do  not  think  he  will  have 
the  hardihood  to  come  to  Denewood  for  me." 

"But  I  am  not  done  with  him,"  said  the  young 
Frenchman  rather  grimly,  and  I  could  not  help 
but  wonder  how  it  came  about  that  so  courteous 
a  gentleman  should  be  associated  with  the  scoun- 
drelly Pilgrim.  But  though  I  was  sufficiently 
curious,  I  could  not,  in  decency,  ask  him. 

Hearing  naught  of  a  pursuit,  M.  de  Soulange 
slacked  the  horse's  pace  and  we  moved  along 
more  cautiously.  You  may  be  sure  I  was  ready 
enough  to  gallop  all  the  way,  but  I  realized  the 
wisdom  of  going  more  slowly.  Though  the 
moon  would  soon  be  rising  to  give  us  a  good 
light,  it  was  still  too  dark  to  see  the  road  clearly. 
A  stumble  might  ruin  our  chances,  and,  to  curb 
my  impatience,  I  thought  of  the  saying  upon  that 
piece  of  paper  that  had  been  left  behind.  "Over- 
haste  churns  bad  butter." 

We  had  made  fair  progress,  and  M.  Victor 
seemed  so  certain  of  his  way  that  I  had  ceased 

248 


STOP  T'lEF 

to  worry,  when,  quite  suddenly,  he  checked  his 
horse. 

"Listen,"  he  said  in  a  whisper;  and  I  held  my 
breath. 

At  first  I  heard  naught,  though  I  strained  my 
ears,  then  quite  unmistakably,  the  dull  sound  of 
hoofbeats  at  a  distance  came  to  me. 

"The  horse  hear'  it  first,"  declared  M.  Victor. 
"I  see  him  prick  up  his  ear',  and  wonder  what  it 
means.  Are  they  behin'  us?" 

I  listened  again. 

"No,  I  think  they  are  on  our  right  hand,"  I 
answered. 

"I  think  so,  too,"  he  agreed;  "but  they  ap- 
proach." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  for  the  sounds  were  growing 
more  distinct  each  moment. 

"Is  there  a  short  cut  ?"  asked  M.  Victor,  speak- 
ing as  if  to  himself.  "Ah,  that  mus'  be  it !  They 
hope  to  intercep'  us."  Then,  clapping  his  hand 
to  his  belt,  he  gave  an  exclamation  of  dismay. 
"Foolish  that  I  am,"  he  muttered,  "to  have  for- 
get my  pistol'." 

Evidently  he  anticipated  danger  of  some  sort 
and  at  once  I  became  anxious. 

249 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Who  do  you  think  it  can  be  ?"  I  questioned. 

"What  care  we,  mademoiselle?"  he  answered 
gaily,  "though  I  have  not  my  pistol'  I  still  have  a 
sword.  There  is  no  danger." 

He  spurred  his  horse,  setting  it  at  a  gallop,  and 
I  guessed  that  he  hoped  to  pass  the  road  down 
which  the  approaching  horsemen  were  coming 
ere  they  reached  the  junction. 

"Hoi'  tight,  mademoiselle,"  M.  Victor  mur- 
mured, half  turning  his  head,  while  with  his  free 
hand  he  drew  his  sword.  Then  leaning  forward 
on  his  beast's  neck,  he  urged  it  faster. 

We  could  not  tell  from  the  sounds  how  near 
the  riders  were,  nor  whether  we  were  to  be  inter- 
cepted; but  it  was  plain  that,  if  we  were  to  meet 
our  pursuers,  the  spot  was  not  far  off. 

"Monsieur,"  I  said,  "if  they  stop  us  I  shall  slip 
down  and  run  into  the  woods  and  then  on  to 
Denewood,"  and  as  I  spoke  I  loosened  the  cloak 
from  about  my  shoulders  and  laid  it  across  my 
arm,  so  that  I  could  drop  it  lest  it  hinder  me  when 
I  took  to  running. 

"Nay,  mademoiselle,  we  shall  not  be  easily 
stopp',"  he  replied,  and  even  as  he  spoke  there 
was  a  shout  a  little  ahead  of  us  and  we  saw  the 

250 


STOP  T'lEF 

dim  outline  of  a  horse  as  it  was  reined  across 
our  path. 

"Let  me  get  down !"  I  cried. 

"Nay,  not  yet,"  he  insisted,  and  spurred  his 
horse  the  faster  toward  the  unknown  man  who 
blocked  the  way. 

The  rider  ahead,  seeing  us  approaching, 
shouted  something  in  German  which  I  could  not 
understand,  but  by  the  language  I  knew  it  was  a 
man  from  the  Schneider  farm. 

And  now  we  were  a-top  of  him. 

"Stop!"  cried  the  man.  "Stop!  Stop!"  He 
repeated  the  word  again  and  again ;  but  it  had  no 
effect  upon  M.  Victor,  who  was  riding  as  if  to 
run  him  down,  which  perchance  he  might  have 
done  had  not  another  horseman  appeared,  taking 
up  his  position  beside  his  companion,  and  so  clos- 
ing our  road  completely. 

At  that  M.  Victor  drew  in  our  horse  and 
brought  it  to  a  stop  within  touching  distance  of 
the  two. 

"Out  of  my  way,"  he  shouted  to  them,  raising 
his  sword.  "Seek  not  to  stay  a  lady  on  an  urgent 
errand.  Out  of  the  way,  I  say,"  and  he  threat- 
ened them. 

'251 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

"T'ief !  Tief !"  they  called  together  in  broken 
English,  and  one  ventured  to  lay  a  hand  on  our 
horse's  bridle. 

"You  dare !"  cried  M.  Victor,  and  down  came 
the  flat  of  the  sword  on  the  man's  arm,  with  such 
a  right  good  will  that  he  drew  back  \vith  a  cry  of 
pain,  pulling  his  horse  out  of  our  path. 

On  the  instant  M.  Victor  plunged  spurs  into 
our  beast,  which  sprang  forward  with  a  jump, 
but  the  other  German  was  as  prompt  and  started 
off  beside  us. 

"Stop!"  he  ordered.  "Stop,  or  I  shoot!"  and 
I  saw  the  gleam  of  a  pistol-barrel  pointed  at  M. 
Victor's  head,  scarce  a  foot  away  from  it. 

Instinctively  I  flung  out  my  arm  to  brush  it 
aside  and,  sensing  rather  than  seeing  the  cloak 
that  hung  over  it,  with  a  mighty  effort  I  man- 
aged to  throw  it  over  the  man's  head,  disturbing 
his  aim,  as  his  pistol  went  off  with  a  smothered 
report  which  caused  his  horse  to  shy  into  the 
ditch  beside  the  road. 

"Go  on,  monsieur;  we're  past  them,"  I  told 
him,  and  I  looked  back  to  see  the  man  struggling 
to  loose  his  head,  while  his  horse  plunged  wildly, 
nigh  unseating  him. 

252 


STOP  T'lEF 

But  we  were  not  to  get  off  without  a  run  for 
it,  though  we  now  had  a  start  and  the  horse  un- 
der us  was  a  strong  one. 

"They  would  never  have  catch  us  save  for  that 
short  cut,"  said  M.  Victor,  "and  they  will  not 
again."  And  patting  his  horse's  neck,  he  leaned 
over  and  spoke  to  it  encouragingly,  and  it  flew 
along  with  great  strides  as  if  it  understood.  In- 
deed, the  pursuit  now  was  but  half-hearted,  and 
presently  we  heard  them  no  more  and  concluded 
that  they  had  given  up  the  chase. 

Soon  we  turned  into  the  Wissahickon  road  and 
from  there  I  knew  my  way.  Also  the  moon  had 
risen,  and  though  it  was  past  the  full  it  yet  gave 
us  plenty  of  light.  We  now  struck  off  to  the 
left,  and  't  was  scarce  ten  o'clock  when  we  en- 
tered the  long  drive  at  Denewood. 

"We  are  in  plenty  of  time,"  I  said,  with  a  sigh 
of  relief.  "How  can  I  ever  thank  you,  Monsieur 
de  Soulange?" 

"Do  not  talk  of  that,  mademoiselle,"  he  re- 
plied. 'T  is  that  I  have  enjoy  the  pleasure. 
My  doctor  say  it  is  good  for  my  health  that  I 
take  the  ride'  by  moonlight.  Beside  you  have 
save'  my  life,  mademoiselle." 

253 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"What  mean  you?"  I  asked,  for  I  did  not  think 
he  knew  that  his  cloak  was  some  miles  back  upon 
the  road  we  had  come. 

"What  have  you  done  with  my  cloak,  made- 
moiselle?" he  inquired  meaningly. 

"I  Ve  lost  it,  monsieur,"  I  replied.  "And 
your  hat  also,"  I  added,  for  in  the  race  that  had 
dropped  off,  though  I  scarce  knew  it  at  the  time. 

"  'T  is  better  to  have  lose  that  than  the  head," 
he  laughed  back,  and  then,  seriously,  "I  shall  al- 
ways be  your  debtor,  mademoiselle." 

"Nay,  monsieur,  did  you  not  save  me?"  I  re- 
plied. "Let  us  cry  quits." 

"Mais  non !"  he  exclaimed.  "Not  quits.  That 
means  the  end  of  things.  I  hope  mademoiselle 
does  not  mean  an  end  to  our — our — may  I  say — 
friendship?" 

"Oh,  no,  indeed,"  I  replied  quickly,  and  then 
suddenly  we  fell  silent. 

We  soon  came  in  sight  of  the  house,  but  in- 
stead of  the  bright  lights  I  had  expected  to  see 
burning  in  the  windows,  everything  was  dark  as 
though  the  place  were  deserted.  It  had  a  strange 
look,  for  Denewood  was  an  open  house,  always 

254 


STOP  T'lEF 

ready  to  welcome  a  guest,  night  or  day,  with  the 
best  that  could  be  provided. 

Monsieur  de  Soulange  pulled  up  before  the 
step. 

"Wait,  monsieur,"  I  said,  slipping  down 
quickly,  "I  will  have  some  one  take  your  horse," 
and  I  ran  to  the  front  door. 

But  though  I  plied  the  knocker  with  a  will  and 
heard  the  sounds  of  it  echoing  through  the  halls, 
no  response  came  and  for  a  moment  I  stood  ap- 
palled. What  could  have  happened? 

I  ran  down  the  steps  of  the  portico  and  so 
around  the  house  to  the  back,  while  M.  Victor 
followed,  leading  his  horse.  But  here,  too,  the 
doors  were  locked,  the  windows  shuttered  and 
barred,  and  from  no  crack  nor  cranny  was  there 
a  ray  of  light  to  show  that  any  were  within. 

"Has  Captain  Blundell  been  here  already?"  I 
murmured,  looking  helplessly  at  M  Victor. 
"What  can  it  mean?" 

"I  should  say  there  was  no  one  at  home,  made- 
moiselle," he  answered. 

"But  that  is  impossible,"  I  protested.  "Even 
if  Bee  and  Cousin  John  are  away,  where  are  all 

255 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

the  servants?  And  Mummer  the  steward,  and 
Mrs.  Mummer  and — "  I  might  have  named  a 
dozen  that  should  have  been  there,  but  what  was 
the  use?  No  one  came  in  answer  to  my  sum- 
mons, and  I  must  e'en  take  my  own  measures  to 
gain  an  entrance. 

"I  know  a  way  in,  monsieur,"  I  explained. 
"Tie  your  horse  to  the  post  and  let  us  hurry." 

"Nay,  he  will  stand  quite  still,  mademoiselle," 
he  assured  me,  leading  the  good  beast  to  the  side 
of  the  driveway  and  speaking  a  word  to  it.  "I 
am  at  your  service,"  he  ended,  taking  his  place 
beside  me. 

"It  is  through  a  secret  passage  I  must  lead 
you,"  I  explained.  "You  will  get  your  feet  wet, 
monsieur,  but  I  dare  not  go  alone,  for  fear  of 
meeting  this  Captain  Blundell." 

"I  think,  mademoiselle,  my  doctor  have  not  for- 
bid it  that  I  wet  my  feet,"  he  answered  lightly. 
"I  shall  be  honor'  to  accompany  you." 

"Have  ready  your  sword,"  I  cautioned  him, 
not  knowing  what  to  expect. 

We  crossed  the  brick-paved  court  beside  the 
kitchens,  dark  under  the  shade  of  the  great  ma- 
ples surrounding  the  mansion,  and  came  in  sight 

256 


C 


STOP  T'lEF 

of  the  spring-house  showing  plainly  in  the  moon- 
light. 

"There  is  the  place  we  are  going,"  I  said, 
pointing. 

"Then  I  lead,"  M.  Victor  remarked  under  his 
breath,  and  stepped  ahead,  carrying  his  naked 
sword  in  his  hand. 

But  we  had  scarce  started  ere  he  halted,  hold- 
ing out  his  arm  to  stay  me. 

"There  is  a  man  there,"  he  whispered,  and  as 
he  spoke  I  saw  a  crouching  form  move  swiftly 
toward  the  door  of  the  spring-house  and  disap- 
pear inside. 

"It  is  Blundell,"  I  cried.  "Quick,  monsieur; 
we  must  stop  him  before  he  takes  the  boy."  And 
without  a  thought  of  myself  I  ran  across  the  in- 
tervening space. 

"Nay,  mademoiselle/'  protested  M.  Victor, 
seizing  my  arm.  "This  is  man's  work.  Let  me 
go  first." 

He  waited  not  for  my  assent,  but  thrust  me 
behind  him  and  hurried  forward. 

At  the  door  of  the  spring-house  he  paused  a 
moment;  but  I  was  sure  Blundell  would  have 
gone  on  through  the  passage. 

259 


"  He  's  not  in  there,  monsieur,"  I  exclaimed, 
making  no  effort  to  lower  my  voice,  and  at  the 
words  there  was  an  outcry  of  fear  from  within, 
and  a  black  shape  darted  out  like  a  frightened 
rabbit. 

In  an  instant  M.  Victor  was  after  it,  but  he 
had  scarce  laid  hands  upon  the  fleeing  figure 
when  the  man  tumbled  to  the  ground  with  a 
scream  of  terror. 

"Don't  kill  me,  Sperry,"  he  whined  in  anguish, 
and  the  twisted  face  of  Jasper  Pilgrim  showed 
plain  in  the  moonlight  as  he  knelt  before  M.  Vic- 
tor, his  hands  lifted  as  if  in  supplication. 

"  'T  is  the  Quaker !"  exclaimed  the  Frenchman, 
while  I  was  so  surprised  that  I  could  only  stare, 
trying  to  guess  what  it  all  meant. 

Our  captive  was  the  first  to  recover  himself; 
for,  seeing  that  it  was  the  French  gentleman  and 
not  Blundell,  as  he,  too,  had  evidently  expected, 
his  courage  suddenly  returned  and  he  rose  quickly 
to  his  feet. 

"So  thee  is  in  the  plot  to  rob  me,  is  thee?"  he 
cried  out  in  a  rage.  "Thee 's  brought  the  girl 
with  thee,  I  see." 

"What  were  you  doing  in  the  spring-house?" 
260 


STOP  T'lEF 

I  demanded,  for  I  thought  he  also  must  be  aware 
of  the  secret  passage. 

"What  does  thee  think  I  was  doing?"  he  an- 
swered insolently.  "Sampling  the  butter?" 

"Answer  Mademoiselle  Travers,  at  once,"  M. 
Victor  commanded,  grasping  the  Quaker  by  the 
collar  and  raising  his  sword  threateningly. 

With  a  whine  the  man's  manner  changed,  for 
there  was  that  in  monsieur's  tone  that  brooked 
no  trifling. 

"I  did  but  go  in  to  see  what  Sperry's  business 
there  this  morning  was,"  he  replied  sullenly. 

"This  morning?"  I  echoed  in  astonishment. 

"Aye,  and  I  doubt  not  you  knew  it  when  you 
sent  me  on  that  fool's  errand,"  Pilgrim  went  on. 
"I  caught  sight  of  him  then,  sneaking  in.  Where 
is  he  now  ?"  he  ended. 

Our  encounter  with  the  Quaker  had  carried  us 
a  short  distance  past  the  spring-house  and,  as  he 
asked  this  question,  I  looked  instinctively  toward 
it.  I  was  just  in  time  to  see  a  dark  shape,  en- 
veloped in  a  long  cloak,  appear  on  the  threshold. 
In  the  moonlight  the  face  showed  white  and  dis- 
tinct. This  time  I  was  not  mistaken.  This  man 
was  Captain  Blundell. 

261 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A   STOLEN    HORSE 

FOR  a  moment  Blundell  stood  looking  at  me, 
evidently  much  surprised  that  I  should  be 
there;  but  the  fear  of  what  might  be  concealed 
beneath  the  folds  of  the  dark  cloak  he  wore 
brought  me  quickly  to  my  senses. 

"Monsieur,  here  is  the  man!"  I  cried,  starting 
forward. 

But  Blundell  was  even  quicker  to  recover  him- 
self, and  darted  out  of  the  spring-house,  turning 
sharply  away  from  it  and  rounding  the  corner 
toward  the  dark  shadow  of  the  woods  in  the 
rear. 

"Do  not  move,  mademoiselle,"  called  M.  Vic- 
tor, and  I  saw  him  run  back  of  the  house  to  in- 
tercept the  fugitive  while  the  mock  Quaker 
sneaked  off  the  moment  he  was  released. 

Of  him  I  thought  little.  My  whole  inter- 
est was  centered  in  the  capture  of  the  other  man 
and,  fearing  that  my  feeble  help  might  prove  only 

262 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

an  embarrassment  to  the  young  Frenchman,  I 
stood  my  ground,  awaiting  the  outcome  with  a 
fast-beating  heart. 

A  minute  later  I  heard  a  half-smothered  ex- 
clamation of  anger  from  Blundell  and  the  voice 
of  M.  Victor  commanding  him  to  halt.  Thus  I 
knew  that  they  had  met,  but  almost  at  the  same 
moment  the  British  Captain  came  running  out 
into  the  moonlight,  heading  toward  the  maple 
grove. 

'This  way,  monsieur,"  I  cried  at  the  top  of 
my  voice,  instinctively  following  the  fleeing  man, 
and  Monsieur  Victor's  answering  shout  of  cau- 
tion assured  me  he,  too,  was  pursuing  quickly, 
while  the  next  instant  he  passed  me  on  the 
run. 

All  the  advantage  was  with  Blundell,  for  so 
dark  was  it  under  the  trees  that  one  could  not  see 
a  yard  ahead,  and  although  M.  Victor  reached 
the  shadows  but  a  few  paces  behind  the  other,  he 
was  unable  to  tell  in  which  direction  to  go  and 
paused  an  instant,  giving  me  time  to  come  up 
with  him. 

Then  as  we  looked  eagerly  about,  hoping  that 
a  movement  or  a  sound  would  serve  to  guide  us, 

263 


we  heard  a  mocking  laugh  and  the  clatter  of 
hoofs  on  the  driveway. 

"Ah,  he  has  take'  my  horse,  the  rascal !"  cried 
M.  Victor,  rushing  into  the  darkness ;  but  he  was 
too  late.  Ere  he  reached  the  place  he  had  left 
the  beast,  Blundell  had  galloped  away,  and  we 
were  helpless  to  stop  him. 

"Has  he  taken  the  boy?"  I  cried,  still  thinking 
of  what  might  be  concealed  beneath  the  long 
cloak  the  man  wore ;  but  I  waited  not  for  the  an- 
swer I  knew(  M.  Victor  could  not  give. 

"Go  to  the  front  door,  monsieur,"  I  went  on. 
"I  will  open  it  presently,"  and  without  another 
word  I  ran.  back  to  the  spring-house. 

I  was  certain  then  that  we  had  been  too  late. 
The  dark,  silent  house  seemed  to  make  this  con- 
clusion the  only  possible  one,  and  I  was  fearful 
of  what  awaited  me  inside. 

I  groped  in  the  darkness  until  I  found 
the  secret  entrance,  plunged  into  the  shallow  wa- 
ter, scarce  heeding  its  coldness,  and  made  my  way 
underground  as  rapidly  as  I  could  till  I  came  to 
the  narrow,  rough  stair.  Up  this  I  staggered, 
tripping  over  the  uneven  steps  as  I  hurried  on, 
conscious  only  of  a  heavy  weight  of  anxiety. 

264 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

At  last  I  reached  the  top  and  bending  down 
slipped  past  the  great  stone  which  masked  the 
upper  opening,  and  so  on  through  the  fireplace 
into  the  day-nursery.  There  was  a  tiny  candle 
burning  in  the  room,  and  I  looked  about  me  half- 
expecting  to  see  something  amiss,  but  all  seemed 
as  usual,  and  I  tiptoed  across  toward  the  open 
door  leading  into  the  children's  sleeping  cham- 
ber. 

Almost  certain  that  I  should  find  it  empty,  I 
peeped  into  Jacky's  little  white  bed  and  there  he 
lay,  safe  and  sound!  So  great  was  my  thank- 
fulness and  joy  that  I  felt  myself  grow  weak, 
and  had  to  clutch  at  the  door  jamb  to  keep  my 
balance.  Whatever  else  had  happened  the  chil- 
dren were  all  safe,  for  Marjory  was  in  her  crib, 
and,  through  the  door  beyond,  I  saw  the  baby's 
nurse  sleeping  soundly  and  knew  Allen  must  be 
there  too. 

But  why  was  Denewood  so  shut  up?  And 
why  was  the  door  not  open  to  me?  This  was 
what  was  in  my  mind  when  a  low  murmur  of 
voices  reached  me  and  I  passed  quietly  into  the 
upper  gallery. 

A  small  light  burned  in  the  lower  hall  as  I 
265 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

hurried  to  the  banister  and  looked  down.  Mum- 
mer and  his  wife  stood  there  talking  together  in 
low  tones. 

"  'T  is  easy  to  buy  more  beer  than  you  can 
drink,"  Mummer  was  saying  doggedly.  "Dick 
Shoemaker  maketh  ill  bread.  Jack  Baker  mak- 
eth  poor  shoon.  I  am  a  man  of  peace  and  no 
fighter,  therefore  I  will  not  open  the  door  to  any 
one  who  rattleth  at  midnight." 

"Midnight!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Mummer  scorn- 
fully. "It  has  scarce  struck  ten  yet — "  but  ere 
she  finished  I  was  down  the  stairs,  and  she  was 
staring  at  me  as  if  she  saw  a  ghost. 

"Have  you  no  welcome  for  me  ?"  I  asked,  halt- 
ing at  the  lower  landing. 

They  looked  at  me  in  astonishment,  as  well 
they  might,  seeing  that  they  could  have  no  notion 
how  I  got  there,  but  Mrs.  Mummer  recovered 
herself  and  ran  to  me  with  outstretched  arms. 

"Oh,  Peggy!  My  little  Peggy!  Have  you 
come  back  to  us?"  she  cried,  with  tears  welling 
into  her  eyes. 

"Yes,  yes,  I  'm  here,"  I  said,  as  well  as  I  could, 
for  she  nigh  smothered  me  in  her  embrace. 

Mrs.  Mummer  drew  away  and  looked  at  me, 
266 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

vowing  she  scarce  was  sure  I  was  flesh  and  blood, 
and  would  have  begun  on  the  thousand  questions 
she  had  ready,  but  ere  the  first  was  out,  a  thun- 
dering knock  on  the  front  door  echoed  through 
the  hall. 

"  'T  is  the  third  time  to-night,"  Mummer  whis- 
pered, looking  uneasily  at  his  wife. 

"The  third  time?"  I  repeated.     "I  knocked  but 


once." 


"Not  twenty  minutes  gone  there  was  a  sum- 
mons," Mrs.  Mummer  explained,  "while  we  were 
upstairs.  'T  was  that  brought  us  down." 

I  was  about  to  comment  upon  this,  guessing 
that  Blundell  or  Pilgrim  must  be  at  the  bottom 
of  it,  when  the  knocker  sounded  once  more,  this 
time  so  persistently  that  I  bethought  myself. 

"Why  do  you  not  open  the  door,  Mummer?" 
I  demanded,  but  he  shook  his  head  gloomily. 

"I  am  a  man  of  peace,"  he  began,  but  I  cut  him 
short. 

"Fiddlesticks!"  I  exclaimed,  exasperated  at 
his  timidity.  "I  '11  go  to  it,  then,"  and  with- 
out further  words  I  took  down  the  chain  and 
turned  the  lock  with  the  great  key. 

An  instant  later  the  door  was  wide,  and  M. 
267 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

Victor  stood  before  us,  his  face  flushed  with  anx- 
iety, and  his  naked  sword  still  in  his  hand.  Of  a 
sudden  I  realized  that  I  had  clean  forgot  him. 

"Ah,  mademoiselle,"  he  cried,  evidently  re- 
lieved to  see  me,  "I  began  to  fear  that — " 

"Your  pardon,  monsieur,"  I  begged.  "I  was 
so  glad  to  find  my  little  cousin  safe  that  for  the 
moment  I  remembered  naught  else." 

"I  am  rejoice',"  he  answered,  putting  up  his 
sword  and  stepping  across  the  threshold.  "The 
house  was  so  silent  that  I  fear'  something  might 
have  happen'  to  you." 

I  made  him  known  to  Mrs.  Mummer,  explain- 
ing the  service  he  had  done  me  and,  oh,  how  she 
beamed  upon  him, — but  now  that  she  had  me  safe 
back  again  and  in  no  way  harmed,  she  at  once 
took  thought  of  my  health. 

"Miss  Peggy!"  she  exclaimed,  looking  down, 
"to  see  you  in  such  case!  Come  at  once  and 
change  your  shoes  and  stockings.  They  are 
wringing  wet." 

"Nay,  you  stay  and  get  M.  de  Soulange  some- 
thing to  eat.  I  '11  be  but  a  minute,"  I  added  to 
the  young  Frenchman,  and  hurried  to  my  room, 
where  for  the  first  time  in  many  days  I  had  an 

268 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

opportunity  to  rid  myself  of  my  ragged  dress, 
albeit  I  made  but  a  hasty  toilet. 

When  I  returned  Mrs.  Mummer  had  set  out 
some  cold  meats  and  wine  for  M.  Victor  and  I 
knew  from  the  few  words  I  heard  that  she  had 
learned  from  him  all  he  could  tell  of  my  adven- 
tures. Also  that  she  liked  the  young  Frenchman 
at  first  sight  was  plain  to  me  who  knew  how  to 
read  her  kindly  face. 

I  found  that  I  too  was  hungry  and  sat  down 
to  the  table  ready  to  munch  and  talk  with  a  light 
heart,  for  my  worst  fears  had  been  put  to  rest, 
and  now  that  I  knew  Jacky  was  safe,  my  past  ex- 
periences troubled  me  not  at  all. 

"Tell  me  what  took  Bee  and  Cousin  John  to 
Delaware  after  me?"  I  asked,  when  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer's curiosity  had  been  partially  satisfied. 

"  'T  was  the  thimble  did  it,"  she  answered  with 
a  shake  of  her  head.  "I  put  no  faith  in  it,  but 
Miss  Bee  was  mortal  afeared  of  that  Blundell." 

"How  did  she  know  he  was  about?"  I  ques- 
tioned. 

"Did  he  not  chase  her  on  the  road?"  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Mummer. 

"Oh,  to  be  sure,"  I  answered,  remembering. 
269 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"That  was  why  Bee  rode  off  in  such  a  hurry.    Of 
course !" 

"Aye,  that  was  it,"  Mrs.  Mummer  went  on. 
"Mr.  Mark  he  stopped  the  man  and  brought  Miss 
Bee  and  the  boy  home  safe  enough;  but  when 
the  thimble  came — " 

"What  thimble?"  I  interrupted. 

"No  other  than  your  own  silver  thimble  that 
Miss  Bee  gave  you  when  you  were  a  wee  thing/' 
Mrs.  Mummer  explained.  "When  they  had 
looked  the  country  over  for  you  and  this  Blun- 
dell  as  well,  hearing  naught  of  either,  they  were 
fair  desperate  about  ye.  Ah,  dearie,  't  was  a  sad 
time  at  Denewood.  I  don't  know  what  Miss  Bee 
would  have  done,  but  for  the  thought  that  that 
decent  body  Mrs.  Pilgrim  was  at  your  side." 

"Tell  me  about  the  thimble,"  I  begged,  for  she 
was  ready  to  cry  at  the  mere  recollection  of  my 
absence. 

"It  came  with  a  note,  scrawled  on  a  bit  of  pa- 
per," she  continued.  "Miss  Bee  misdoubted  it 
was  your  writing;  but  it  said  you  were  being 
carried  south  into  Delaware  and  would  be  given 
up  if  certain  provisions  were  agreed  to,  and  that 

270 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

the  thimble  was  to  show  good  faith.     I  never  be- 
lieved in  it  for  a  minute." 

"Blundell  managed  to  get  hold  of  that  thimble 
somehow,"  I  said.  "I  missed  it  when  I  was  at 
the  Schneiders'  farm." 

"Aye,  they  guessed  it  was  Blundell,"  Mrs. 
Mummer  went  on,  "and  that  made  it  all  the 
worse.  Miss  Bee  could  n't  rest  for  thinking  you 
were  in  the  man's  hands  and  knowing  they  were 
after  that  ring,  bad  luck  to  it." 

"Oh!"  I  exclaimed,  remembering.  "Is  my 
ring  gone?"  and  I  jumped  to  my  feet. 

"Nay,  't  is  in  your  powdering-box  where  Mr. 
Powell  left  it,"  Mrs.  Mummer  assured  me  posi- 
tively. "I  looked,  after  that  old  wretch  got  away 
from  us." 

"But  why  didn't  you  give  it  to  him  as  my  note 
said?"  I  demanded,  for  it  might  have  made  a 
vast  difference  had  not  M.  Victor  come  to  my  aid. 

"I  would  never  give  the  old  thief  the  ring,"  de- 
clared Mrs.  Mummer  stoutly. 

"But  you  had  my  letter  telling  you  to/'  I  in- 
sisted. 

"Aye,  but  you  never  writ  it  yourself,  dearie," 
271 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

she  answered,  with  a  sly  look.  "  'T  was  in  your 
hand,  that  I  saw,  but  the  words  were  never  yours, 
and  I  knew  at  once  that  that  old  wretch  was  no 
true  Friend,  so  I  meant  to  hold  the  deceiver  till 
he  led  us  to  you." 

"I  should  like  to  see  this  so  wonderful  ring, 
mademoiselle,"  said  M.  Victor  with  something 
more  than  curiosity  in  his  voice. 

"I  '11  get  it  for  you,"  I  cried,  and  ran  off  to 
fetch  it. 

I  tiptoed  into  the  room  for  fear  of  waking  the 
children,  and  lighting  a  candle,  looked  eagerly 
into  my  powdering-box,  thinking  how  glad  I 
would  be  to  see  my  ring  again;  but  it  was  not 
there.  Puzzled  for  a  moment  I  opened  a  gold 
snuffbox,  that  had  been  given  me  by  a  certain 
British  Colonel  Taunton  when  he  was  in  com- 
mand at  Denewood,  and  which  I  used  to  hold 
patches,  but  again  I  was  disappointed.  Then 
like  a  flash  it  came  to  me.  Blundell  had  taken  it 
after  all.  Evidently  upon  his  first  visit  in  the 
morning,  when  Jasper  Pilgrim  had  seen  him,  he 
had  found  the  chance  would  not  serve  and  had 
been  obliged  to  return  later. 

With  a  pang  of  regret  at  the  loss,  I  was  still 
272 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

thankful  that  the  ring  had  been  there,  for  other- 
wise the  little  boy  sleeping  peacefully  in  the  next 
room  might  have  been  missing  now. 

"Blundell  has  the  ring,"  I  announced,  on  my 
return  to  the  dining-room. 

'T  is    not   possible,"    cried    Mrs.    Mummer. 

'T  was  there  this  very  afternoon." 

"He  took  it  not  a  half  hour  gone.  But  never 
mind,  we  have  Jacky,"  I  said.  "I  'm  sorry,  mon- 
sieur, not  to  be  able  to  show  it  to  you.  It  was  a 
very  unusual  ring." 

"But  what  can  this  Captain  Blondell  want  of 
it?"  asked  M.  Victor.  "I  suppose  he  is  not  jus' 
a  thief." 

"  'T  is  a  long  story,  monsieur,"  I  began,  "but, 
briefly,  it  seems  that  a  little  boy  has  been  lost  and 
an  advertisement  for  him,  offering  a  reward  has 
been  put  into  a  New  York  news-sheet.  The 
child  is  to  be  identified  by  a  strange  ring  which, 
in  a  curious  way,  came  into  my  possession  long 
ago.  That  is  the  part  the  ring  plays,  and  that  is 
why  Blundell  wishes  to  secure  it.  I  overheard 
him  say  that  any  child  about  the  same  age  would 
do,  if  he  but  held  the  ring,  and  I  am  a  little  trou- 
bled he  may  substitute  another  little  boy  for  the 

273 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

right  one  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  this  money. 
If  I  could  but  remember  the  name  of  the  agent  in 
New  York  I  would  warn  him,  but  I  have  forgot 
it — and  I  fear  the  paper  is  lost." 

"Was  it  not  Andrew  M'Sparren  in  Nassau 
Street?"  M.  Victor  asked  quietly. 

"Why,  yes,"  I  cried,  remembering  perfectly 
now,  and  vastly  astonished.  "That  is  the  name, 
but — monsieur,  how  did  you  know  it?" 

"It  was  I,  mademoiselle,  who  advertise'  for 
that  little  boy,"  he  returned  gravely. 

I  looked  at  the  young  Frenchman  in  amaze- 
ment for  a  moment,  scarce  taking  in  all  his  an- 
nouncement signified,  then  it  flashed  through  my 
mind  that  here  was  the  explanation  of  his  hav- 
ing been  in  the  company  of  Jasper  Pilgrim. 

"It  was  the  search  for  the  ring  that  brought 
you  to  the  Schneider  farm !"  I  exclaimed. 

"Indeed,  yes,"  he  answered,  "and  it  was  be- 
cause of  it  that  you  were  keep  a  prisoner.  It  is 
mos'  curious,  though  't  is  scarce  believable  that 
you  should  have  the  right  ring." 

"It  must  be  the  right  one,"  I  said  positively, 
then  stopped  to  wonder  if  after  all  I  was  correct. 
Perhaps  Blundell  and  Pilgrim  were  mistaken. 

274 


A  STOLEN  HORSE 

"And  yet,  monsieur,"  I  went  on  hesitatingly,  "I 
am  not  so  sure,  now  that  I  think  about  it.  I  wish 
I  had  the  ring  to  show  you." 

'Tell  me  what  it  was  like?"  he  asked.  "There 
are  not  two  like  the  one  I  search  for  in  all  the 
worlV 

"It  is  a  very  massy  ring  of  the  bigness  of  my 
thumb,"  I  began.  "Around  it  are  five  triangu- 
lar diamonds,  and  the  great  bezel  holds  a  sapphire 
stone  which  hath  on  it,  deeply  cut,  the  figure  of 
a  youth  with  a  bow.  This  seal  I  took  to  be  an 
Indian  when  I  was  a  child,  but  now  I  know  't  is 
Cupid,  the  god  of  love.  But  there  is  no  reson, 
whatever  that  is." 

"It  is  nonetheless  the  ring  I  am  in  search  of, 
mademoiselle!"  M.  Victor  cried,  scarce  waiting 
till  I  half  finished.  "How  came  it  into  your  pos- 
session?" 

But  ere  I  could  answer,  Mrs.  Mummer  put  a 
stop  to  our  talk. 

"Nay,  dearie,  you  must  save  that  for  the 
morn,"  she  insisted.  "  'T  is  late,  sir,"  she  went 
on,  appealing  to  M.  Victor,  "and  I  'm  sure  you 
both  need  rest.  Miss  Peg  is  quite  wore  out." 

"You  are  right,  Meesis  Mummer,"  he  agreed, 
275 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

and  though  I  was  willing  enough  to  tell  the  story 
of  Bee's  wedding  cake  I  had  to  content  myself 
to  wait  till  the  morrow  and  was  led  away  to  bed, 
while  Mummer  looked  after  the  young  French- 
man's comfort. 


276 


CHAPTER  XX 

CLARINDA    RUNS   AWAY 

MRS.  MUMMER  did  not  wake  me  the  next 
morning  and  as  a  consequence  it  was  late 
when  I  came  downstairs  to  find  that  M.  Victor 
had  eaten  his  breakfast  and  was  off  with  Mum- 
mer, looking  over  the  estate. 

"He  is  a  most  mannerly  gentleman  for  a 
Frenchman,"  Mrs.  Mummer  confided  to  me,  and 
to  admit  this  much  showed  that  she  had  taken  a 
great  liking  to  him. 

"If  it  had  not  been  for  him  I  should  not  be 
here  to-day/'  I  told  her,  at  which  she  took  me  in 
her  arms  and  hugged  me. 

"I  'm  so  glad  to  be  home !"  I  exclaimed,  sitting 
down  to  my  breakfast.  "I  only  wish  Bee  and 
Cousin  John  were  back.  'T  will  be  a  comfort 
to  have  the  family  together  again.  I  saw  the 
little  ones  as  they  went  out  with  Sally  just  now, — 
but  where  is  Jacky  ?"  I  ended,  looking  around  the 
room. 

277 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"He  's  off  with  Clarinda,"  Mrs.  Mummer  an- 
swered impatiently.  "  I  warned  her  not  to  go 
too  far  from  the  house.  She 's  a  silly  wench 
and  had  I  my  way  one  of  the  men  should  be  sent 
with  the  boy.  But  Miss  Bee  will  have  it  that 
Clarinda  can  be  trusted,  and  't  is  not  to  be  denied 
that  she  fair  worships  the  lad." 

Just  as  I  had  finished  eating,  M.  Victor  came 
in,  looking  very  handsome,  I  thought,  which 
made  me  glad  I  could  appear  before  him  in  some- 
thing better  than  rumpled  rags. 

"I  have  news,  mademoiselle,"  he  said  with  a 
gay  little  laugh.  "You  would  scarce  believe  how 
polite  your  British  Captain  can  be,"  and  he 
handed  me  an  open  letter,  which  read  as  follows : 

To  Monsieur  de  Soulange,  Squire  of  Dames : 

Honored  Sir — Having  pressing  business  at  some  dis- 
tance from  Germantown,  I  found  myself  obliged  to  avail 
myself  of  the  loan  of  your  fine  horse  somewhat  hurriedly 
last  night.  I  regret  that  I  cannot  return  it  to  you  in 
person,  but  eventually  I  shall  leave  it  with  your  agent, 
Andrew  M'Sparren.  It  rejoices  me  to  inform  you  that 
your  search  is  at  an  end,  one  evidence  of  which  closes  this 
communication.  Permit  me,  sir,  to  subscribe  myself, 
Your  most  obedient,  humble  and  grateful  servant, 

GEORGE  BLUNDELL. 
Late  Captain,  His  Majesty's  Horse. 
278 


CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY 

I  read  the  note  through  twice  before  I  quite 
made  it  out,  for  the  writing  was  crabbed,  and 
even  when  I  knew  the  words  I  still  was  puzzled. 

"What  does  it  mean,  monsieur?"  I  asked. 
"What  is  the  'evidence'  which  'closes  the  com- 
munication' ?" 

"That  you  will  see  on  the  back  of  the  letter, 
mademoiselle,"  he  answered,  and,  upon  turning 
it  over,  I  found  a  wax  seal  stamped  with  a  print 
from  my  missing  ring. 

"He  has  it!"  I  exclaimed.  "He  took  it  last 
night,  as  I  thought." 

"Nay,  do  not  be  distress',"  said  M.  Victor,  evi- 
dently seeing  that  I  was  far  from  pleased  to  lose 
my  treasure.  "He  will  sell  it  to  McSparren  and 
in  due  time  it  will  be  return'  to  you." 

"Ah,  but  it  is  not  mine,"  I  hastened  to  reply. 
"Has  he  the  little  boy  somewhere,  do  you  think?" 

"That  I  know  not,  mademoiselle,"  M.  Victor 
answered.  "I  hope  so,  I  am  sure." 

"I  heard  them  plotting  to  substitute  a  child 
as  soon  as  they  had  the  ring,"  I  explained,  know- 
ing that  I  had  mentioned  this  before  but  wishing 
to  impress  it  on  him. 

"Nay,  that  is  impossible.     They  may  try  it  but 
279 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

they  cannot  succeed,"  M.  Victor  assured  me; 
"but,"  he  went  on  with  a  laugh,  "you  do  not  know 
yet  the  good  joke  on  Blondell.  The  gallant  late 
Captain  of  His  Majesty's  Horse  have  gone  with 
my  beast,  but  he  knows  not  what  he  will  fin*  at 
the  end  of  his  journey.  My  servants,  made- 
moiselle, are  in  New  York — and  Louis,  my 
equerry,  is  not  a  patient  man.  When  he  see' 
Blondell  ride  up  to  McSparren's  office  on  that 
horse,  which  he  know  like  his  own  son,  he  will 
seize  both  the  horse  and  the  rider,  thinking  I  have 
been  rob'  or  worse.  Oh,  it  will  be  merry  for 
us — but  I  would  not  be  in  Blondell's  shoes." 
He  ended  with  a  peal  of  laughter,  in  which,  in 
spite  of  my  perplexity,  I  could  not  help  joining. 

"And  now,  mademoiselle,  please  tell  me  how 
the  ring  came  into  your  possession,"  he  went  on, 
checking  his  gaiety  and  becoming  serious  on  the 
instant.  "I  was  patient  last  night,  for  you  were 
tire',  but  't  is  not  idle  curiosity  that  make'  me 
ask." 

So  I  told  him  all  about  the  wedding-cake,  hop- 
ing he  would  have  some  explanation  of  how  the 
ring  came  to  be  in  it,  but  at  the  end  he  shook  his 
head. 

280 


CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY 

"It  is  most  mysterious,  mademoiselle,"  he 
said,  thoughtfully;  "shall  I  tell  you  why  I  am  in 
America  and  what  I  know  of  the  adventure'  of 
the  ring?" 

"I  should  love  to  hear !"  I  exclaimed. 

"  'T  is  the  strange  story  of  a  woman's  fool- 
ishness," he  began.  "My  father  have  a  cousin 
in  France.  A  very  rich  man  with  very  great 
possession'.  He  is  call'  the  Marquis  de 
Soulange-Caderousse.  For  many  year'  my 
father  have  been  look'  upon  as  his  heir;  but,  to 
every  one's  surprise,  he  marry.  His  wife  may 
have  been  a  very  wise  lady," — M.  Victor 
shrugged  his  shoulders — "I  do  not  know.  But 
she  is  not  his  equal  in  birth — that  is  certain. 
Well,  one  day  in  the  hunting-field  this  cousin  is 
kill'  by  an  accident,  an'  my  father  is  made  the 
guardian  of  his  only  son — for  the  dead  man  he 
love  my  father  and  trust'  him  in  everything." 

The  young  man  paused  a  moment  and  lifted 
his  head  proudly. 

"The  woman,"  he  went  on,  "my  cousin's  wife 
that  is,  she  did  not  know  the  honor  of  our  family 
and  she  had  some  bad  adviser',  who  tol'  her  that 
my  father  would  never  let  a  baby  to  live  that 

281 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

stand  between  him  and  a  so  great  inheritance. 
Then  she,  too,  die';  an'  her  family  with  a  great 
foolishness,  send  the  little  marquis  out  of  the 
country  to  Canada  in  the  care  of  her  brother." 

"And  this  is  the  child  you  are  looking  for,"  I 
interrupted  excitedly.  "And  he  is  a  marquis?" 

"Aye,  truly,"  replied  M.  Victor.  "He  is  now 
the  Marquis  de  Soulange-Caderousse." 

"But  why  did  they  send  the  child  to  Canada?" 
I  asked. 

"Ah,  because  they  were  a  very  foolish  people," 
he  replied.  "They  take  him  away  because,  as 
they  said  publicly,  they  fear  my  father  will  de- 
stroy him  for  the  sake  of  the  money.  A  slur 
upon  my  father's  honor  which  he  cannot  suffer, 
mademoiselle.  So,  when  he  first  learn'  of  it,  he 
sen'  a  man  to  America  to  bring  back  the  little 
boy.  But  this  man,  though  he  was  a  trusted 
servant,  bungle'  the  business,  and  all  he  suc- 
ceed' in  doing  is  to  drive  the  uncle  of  the  little 
boy  deeper  into  the  wilderness  until  it  is  impos- 
sible to  fin'  them." 

"Aye,  't  would  be  like  looking  for  a  needle  in 
a  hay-stack,"  I  murmured,  unconsciously  quot- 
ing Mummer. 

282 


CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY 

"It  seem'  impossible,"  M.  Victor  went  on,  "but 
my  father  could  not  res'  satisfied  and  sen'  again 
after  that  first  man  come  back  to  report  failure, 
but  just  then  the  uncle  of  the  boy  return'  from 
Canada  without  the  child." 

"What  had  he  done  with  him?"  I  broke  in. 

Again  M.  Victor  shrugged. 

"He  insis'  that  the  child  have  been  steal  from 
him,"  he  said  with  something  of  an  effort. 
"And,  to  make  it  worse,  he  accuse'  my  father's 
agents  of  employing  the  Indians  to  do  it." 

The  young  Frenchman  drew  in  his  breath 
sharply  and  looked  straight  out  of  the  window  for 
a  moment  or  two. 

"That  was  an  outrage,"  I  murmured  sympa- 
thetically, for  I  saw  that  the  young  man  felt  the 
matter  keenly. 

"It  was  black  infamy!"  he  cried,  "but  worse 
was  to  come.  This  man  demand'  of  my  father, 
that  he  be  pay  to  keep  quiet.  To  not  to  talk,  you 
understan',  and  when  my  father,  he  refuse  with 
indignation,  this  scoundrel  go  away  and  tell  his 
tale  far  and  wide.  It  is  known  my  father  have 
sen'  men  to  America,  and  there  are  always  some 
ready  to  believe  the  meanes'  lies;  so  there  was 

•283 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

a  great  scandal  which  hurt  my  father  to  the 
heart." 

He  paused  for  a  moment. 

"He  blame'  himself  for  that  he  have  not  un- 
dertake the  search  in  person,  but  he  grow  ill  and 
cannot  travel.  He  is  now  an  invalid  for  almost 
a  year,  and  I  am  come  in  his  place  to  clear  the 
family  name  and  take  back  the  child;  for  I  am 
sure  that  not  until  the  boy  is  found,  will  my  father 
recover.  It  is  so  with  us.  The  honor  of  our 
family  is  very  dear  to  the  Soulanges." 

"And  have  you  any  news  of  the  boy  ?"  I  asked 
after  a  moment's  silence. 

"Yes,  and  no,"  M.  Victor  replied.  "I  have 
foun'  trace'  of  the  man  in  Canada  after  he  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  Indians  who  take  the  boy 
from  him — " 

"Indians,"  I  interrupted,  thinking  at  once  of 
Tiscoquam  and  also  of  the  remark  I  had  heard 
Pilgrim  make.  "Did  they  keep  the  ring?" 

"No,  the  man  manage'  to  conceal  that,"  M.  Vic- 
tor replied,  "and  he  escape',  leaving  the  child  to 
the  mercies  of  the  savages,  and  make  his  way 
south  as  best  he  could  through  the  forest'. 
When  at  last  he  comes  to  towns  and  villages, 

284 


CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY 

many  times  he  is  without  food  and  hungry,  and 
he  was  tempt'  to  sell  the  ring  for  he  lacked 
money — but  always  he  keep  it,  thinking  to  make 
more  in  another  way." 

"In  another  way,"  I  broke  in,  not  understand- 
ing. 

"Ah,  yes;  he  was  a  rascal!"  M.  Victor  ex- 
claimed. "He  think  to  find  those  in  France  who 
would  pay  a  high  good  price  for  news  that  the 
child  was  dead,  and  the  ring  would  seem  to  prove 
his  words." 

"But  he  must  have  parted  with  it  finally,"  I  re- 
marked. 

"He  los*  it,  mademoiselle,"  M.  Victor  con- 
tinued. "So  he  tol'  me,  though  at  the  time  I  do 
not  believe.  Now  perhaps  it  is  true  after  all.  He 
recount'  that  he  follow'  an  old  Indian  trail  that 
lead  him  into  Pennsylvania  not  far  from  Phila- 
delphia, and  being  as  he  said  nigh  starving  he 
stop  at  a  fine  mansion.  There  he  tell  something 
of  his  tale  and  brag  of  being  uncle  to  the  heir  of 
finer  estates  than  that,  even  while  he  beg  food 
among  the  servants  of  the  house  at  the  back 
door.  These  laugh  at  the  story  of  a  lost  mar- 
quis; and  in  anger,  and  to  prove  his  boast,  he 

285 


PEG  O'  .THE  RING 

show*  the  ring.  But  remember  't  is  his  story, 
mademoiselle. 

"While  he  hoi'  the  ring  in  his  hand,  some  one, 
in  their  rough  play,  strike  his  arm  and  out  of  his 
hand  fly  the  ring.  That  is  all!  It  is  gone." 

"Did  they  not  search  for  it?"  I  asked  in  won- 
der. "Perchance  it  fell  in  the  grass  if  they  were 
out  of  doors." 

"They  were  in  a  paved  court,  mademoiselle, — 
or  so  the  man  insis',"  M.  Victor  explained,  "yet 
no  one  hear*  the  ring  fall.  Nor  could  they  fin' 
it,  though  it  should  have  been  plain  to  see.  It 
soun'  most  curious,  and  I  did  not  believe  his  tale." 

"And  the  ring  was  never  found  then?"  I  ques- 
tioned incredulously. 

"Not  by  him,"  said  M.  Victor  with  a  smile. 
"This  man  and  the  servants  about  the  estate  hunt 
diligently,  though  naught  come*  of  it.  Indeed 
after  a  time  the  other'  insis'  that  each  be  search', 
and  still  no  ring  could  they  fin*.  But  the  man, 
angered  at  his  loss  continue*  to  accuse  them  of 
thievery,  which  bring  on  a  quarrel  in  the  mids' 
of  which  a  woman  come  to  the  door  of  the 
kitchens  and  drive  them  away.'* 

"The  kitchens!"  I  gasped.  "Monsieur,  there 
286 


CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY. 

is  a  paved  court  beside  the  Denewood  kitchens. 
You  remember  we  passed  that  way  last  night 
going  to  the  spring-house.  Could  it  be  there  the 
quarrel  happened?  I  must  ask  Mrs.  Mummer." 

I  called  in  the  old  housekeeper  and,  after  tell- 
ing her  something  of  the  story,  inquired  if  she 
remembered  any  such  circumstance. 

"Nay,  now,  dearie,  how  could  I  and  it  nigh 
six  years  gone?"  she  replied.  "A  quarrel  among 
the  black  boys  is  not  so  unusual  that  I  would 
keep  it  in  mind." 

"But  how  could  the  ring  have  gotten  into  the 
cake  even  if  the  man  lost  it  at  Denewood  ?"  I  de- 
manded. 

Mrs.  Mummer  wrinkled  her  forehead,  trying 
to  recall  past  happenings. 

"There  was  so  much  going  on  just  before  the 
wedding,"  she  said,  turning  to  M.  Victor,  as  if 
in  apology  for  not  being  able  to  explain  the  mat- 
ter forthwith,  "but  hold  a  minute,"  she  con- 
tinued a  little  excitedly.  "Now  I  mind  't  was 
Indian  summer  and  the  window  was  open  beside 
the  table  where  I  was  mixing  the  cake.  Could 
the  ring  have  flown  in  that  way  when  my  back 
was  turned,  and  I  never  know  it?" 

287 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

'That  must  have  been  it,"  declared  M.  Victor 
positively,  "and  the  man  tol'  the  truth  after  all. 
It  seem'  to  me  like  Fate  have  take'  a  hand  to 
bring  the  ring  to  you,  mademoiselle." 

Whether  or  not  this  was  the  true  explanation 
of  the  ring's  finding  its  way  into  Bee's  wedding- 
cake,  no  other  has  ever  been  forthcoming;  but  to 
this  day  I  cannot  give  over  thinking  how  strange 
it  was  that  a  man  should  carry  the  ring  safe  for 
miles,  through  a  wilderness  of  forest,  straight  to 
Denewood  and  there,  by  a  curious  misfortune, 
lose  it  as  he  did.  It  seemed,  as  M.  Victor  sug- 
gested, something  more  than  accident. 

"And  now,  monsieur,  I  have  lost  it  too !"  I  ex- 
claimed a  little  sadly. 

"The  ring  will  be  recover',  mademoiselle,"  he 
said  with  assurance.  "We  know  where  it  is  now, 
and  I  shall  soon  be  after  the  man  who  has  it,  but 
the  little  boy,  my  cousin — I  wish  I  were  more 
sanguine  of  finding  him." 

"We  must  find  him !"  I  exclaimed.  "We  must 
find  him!" 

"You  make  me  hopeful,"  he  replied  with  a 
smile,  "if  you  will  assis'." 

288 


"Oh,  Mis'  Mummer,  Ma'am!"  she  sobbed,  falling  at  the 
old  housekeeper's  feet 


CLARINDA  RUNS  AWAY 

But  what  could  I  do  ?  I  had  spoken  out  of  the 
fullness  of  my  heart,  being  sorry  for  the  young 
Frenchman's  anxieties,  yet  what  aid  could  a  maid 
give,  when  so  diligent  a  search  had  been  going 
on  for  years  without  result? 

"I  fear  I  shall  be  of  little  help,  monsieur,"  I 
said  despondently. 

"At  leas'  you  give  me  courage  to  continue  the 
search,"  he  answered. 

"There  may  be  more  than  that  in  it,"  said  Mrs. 
Mummer,  shaking  her  head  solemnly.  "There  's 
some  meaning  to  it,  though  what  it  is  I  never 
could  make  out.  But  something  more  is  bound 
to  come  of  it.  Mark  my  words !" 

We  might  have  talked  on  this  subject  for 
hours,  but  we  were  suddenly  silenced  by  the 
sound  of  some  one  calling,  and  a  moment  later 
Clarinda  burst  into  the  room,  panting  from  run- 
ning and  with  a  face  nigh  ashen  with  fear. 

"Oh,  Mis'  Mummer,  ma'am,"  she  sobbed,  fall- 
ing on  the  floor  at  the  old  housekeeper's  feet, 
"he's  done  took !  He  's  done  took !" 

"What  are  you  talking  about,  Clarinda?"  de- 
manded Mrs.  Mummer  sharply. 

291 


"He 's  done  took !"  the  girl  repeated  wildly. 

"Who  is  taken?"  I  exclaimed,  grasping  her 
shoulder. 

"LiT  Mars  Jacky,"  she  blubbered.  "A  big 
Injun  come  along  in  the  woods  and  done  took 
him!" 


292 


CHAPTER  XXI 

AN   UNEXPECTED   RETURN 

IT  was  not  without  considerable  difficulty  that 
we  calmed  Clarinda  sufficiently  for  her  to  tell 
her  story.  Only  severe  threats  from  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer brought  her  to  her  senses,  for  she  was  so 
wrought  up  by  fear  and  distress  at  the  loss  of 
Jacky  that  she  could  scarce  control  herself. 

"Indeed,  Mis'  Mummer,  ma'am,"  she  sobbed, 
"I  weren't  gwin'  far,  nohow.  We  was  jus' 
playin'  by  the  big  spring  over  in  the  West  woods 
an'  Mars  Jacky  he  was  the  fust  to  see  the  red  In- 
jun. All  painted  up  he  was,  with  feathers  in  his 
hair,  and  a  necklace,  and  that  frightful  I  could 
'a'  dropped,  'case  I  never  was  partial  to  them  sav- 
ages, nohow,  and  I  could  feel  my  wool  a-risin'  at 
the  back  of  my  neck  like  he  was  gwin  to  scalp 
Clarinda." 

"Tell  us  what  happened,"  Mrs.  Mummer  broke 
in,  shaking  the  girl  to  emphasize  her  words. 

293 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

"Never  mind  your  wool.  Did  the  Indian  take 
the  boy?" 

"Yes  'm,  that 's  what  he  done  done,"  Clarinda 
blubbered.  "Leastways  I  called  Mars  Jacky  to 
run  away ;  but  he  would  n't,  ma'am,  and  the  In- 
jun he  come  up  and  took  little  Mars  by  the  hand, 
saying  somethin'  about  a-huntin'  deer  and — and 
when  I  looked  back  they  was  nowhere  to  be  seen." 

"Then  you  ran  away !"  I  cried. 

"Yes  'm,  Miss  Peggy.  I  jus'  run  to  get  help, 
'case  I  knew  I  could  n't  do  nothin',  an'  I  runned 
all  the  way  never  stoppin'  an  instant,  and  that 's 
the  truf,  Mis'  Mummer,  ma'am,  'deed  't  is." 

"Where  are  the  other  children?"  demanded 
Mrs.  Mummer,  starting  toward  the  door. 

"They  's  down  to  the  summer  house,  ma'am, 
with  Easter  and  the  white  nurse,"  replied 
Clarinda. 

"We  must  have  them  in  at  once,"  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer vowed,  and  would  have  gone  forthwith  to 
summon  them  had  I  not  stopped  her. 

"Nay,  there's  no  danger  in  that  quarter,"  I 
told  her,  feeling  certain  I  knew  what  had  hap- 
pened. "Marjory  and  Allen  are  perfectly  safe. 
'T  is  only  Jacky  the  Indian  wants.  Send  for 

294 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RETURN 

Bill  Schmuck.  We  must  waste  no  time.  Get 
up,  Clarinda,"  I  went  on  to  the  girl,  who  was  still 
on  the  floor,  sobbing  as  if  her  heart  would  break, 
"you  must  take  Mr.  Bill  to  where  you  saw  the 
boy  last." 

Mrs.  Mummer  went  immediately  to  find  Bill 
and  Clarinda,  after  some  further  urging,  rose  to 
her  feet. 

"You  all  don't  want  me  to  go  back  to  them 
woods,  does  you  ?"  she  whimpered. 

"Of  course  I  do/'  I  insisted ;  "it  will  save  a  lot 
of  time,  so  don't  be  silly.  There  are  no  Indians 
about  here  that  will  hurt  you." 

She  looked  up,  and  as  she  did  so  I  saw  her  eyes 
widen,  her  mouth  drop  open  in  frightened  amaze- 
ment, and,  with  a  trembling  finger,  she  pointed 
out  of  the  window  behind  me. 

"Look,  Missy  Peg,  there  's  the  Injun  now !" 
and  with  a  shriek  she  collapsed  again  at  my  feet. 

I  turned,  and  on  the  lawn  I  saw  a  savage, 
wrapped  in  his  blanket,  stalking  toward  the 
house.  As  he  came  nearer  I  recognized  him  at 
once.  It  was  Tiscoquam. 

"Come,  monsieur,"  I  cried,  "here  is  the  In- 
dian who  has  taken  the  boy,"  and  I  led  the  way 

295 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

through  the  front  door  and  out  on  to  the  lawn, 
full  of  eagerness  to  meet  my  old  enemy. 

He  stopped  in  his  tracks  as  he  saw  us  coming 
and  waited  till  we  reached  him,  making,  as  he 
stood  there,  a  strange  picture  and  one  that  was 
not  devoid  of  a  certain  dignity. 

"Where  is  the  boy,  Tiscoquam?"  I  demanded 
as  I  faced  him. 

"He  is  safe,"  replied  the  Indian  passively. 

"You  must  give  him  to  me,"  I  began,  and 
would  have  continued,  but  he  held  up  his  hand 
as  a  signal  for  silence. 

"Make  the  magic  sign,"  he  said,  pointing  to  his 
wrist  where  the  blurred  mark  of  the  seal  was 
still  visible  on  the  white  band  around  his  arm. 
"Show  it  to  Tiscoquam  and  he  will  give  you  the 
boy." 

At  this  my  heart  sank,  for  I  had  not  the  ring 
and  knew  not  when  I  would  be  able  to  obtain  it. 

"But,  Tiscoquam,"  I  began  hesitatingly,  "I 
have  it  not." 

"It  is  well,"  he  answered  indifferently,  with 
a  gesture  that  seemed  to  dismiss  the  subject,  and 
took  a  step  back  as  if  to  go  away. 

"Wait!"  I  cried;  "let  us  talk  more  of  these 
296 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RETURN 

things.     Perchance  I  can  find  the  sign  for  you." 

He  halted  obediently,  and  I  turned  to  M.  Vic- 
tor. 

"He  seeks  the  ring,"  I  explained;  "that  is  the 
sign  of  which  he  speaks." 

"Alas,  we  have  it  not,"  said  M.  Victor  regret- 
fully. "But  we  have  the  seal,  mademoiselle!" 
he  exclaimed  hopefully.  "Might  not  that  serve 
with  the  savage?" 

"Oh,  let  me  have  it,"  I  begged,  overjoyed  at 
the  suggestion,  and  he  handed  me  the  missive 
he  had  received  that  morning  from  Blundell. 

"See,  Tiscoquam,"  I  went  on,  turning  to  the 
Indian  and  holding  the  paper  with  the  wax  im- 
pression before  him,  "will  you  give  me  the  boy 
in  exchange  for  this?" 

Stolidly  he  took  it  from  me  and  looked  at  it 
closely,  passing  his  finger  over  the  raised  figure 
with  a  show  of  astonishment,  but  at  length  he 
handed  it  back  to  me. 

"Let  the  pale-face  maiden  make  the  sign,"  he 
grunted,  and  once  more  he  held  out  his  wrist  with 
its  wide  band  of  white. 

Alas!  the  wax  seal  would  not  serve  for  this, 
and  I  shook  my  head  disconsolately. 

297 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"I  cannot  make  it  now,"  I  acknowledged,  at 
which  the  brave  turned  from  me,  evincing  con- 
siderable satisfaction. 

"False  magic,"  he  muttered.  "Think  not  to 
trick  Tiscoquam.  He  knows  the  true  sign  when 
he  sees  it  and  will  be  content  with  no  other." 

"I  had  not  thought  to  trick  you,  Tiscoquam," 
I  told  him.  "This  is  not  false  magic,  though  I 
cannot  make  you  understand.  And  what  is  in 
your  heart  ?  Is  it  to  exchange  the  magic  sign  for 
the  boy?" 

But  he  was  unwilling  or  unable  to  explain  him- 
self, and  seemed  impatient  to  be  off. 

"Assure  him  we  will  get  the  ring,"  suggested 
M.  Victor. 

"You  must  come  again,  Tiscoquam,"  I  said. 
"Then  I  will  make  the  mark  for  you  and  you  will 
give  me  the  boy." 

"Tiscoquam  returns  to  his  brothers  in  the 
north,"  he  answered,  showing  no  disposition  to 
yield  to  my  request. 

"You  must  not  take  the  boy  with  you,"  I  pro- 
tested. 

"Failing  the  magic  sign  he  goes  with  Tisco- 
quam," the  Indian  replied  imperturbably. 

298 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RETURN 

"But  you  must  give  us  time,"  I  besought  him. 
"I  knew  not  that  you  would  want  the  sign." 

"That  is  true  talk,"  he  admitted  grudgingly, 
then  after  a  moment's  thought,  "in  three  suns 
Tiscoquam  comes  again." 

At  least  I  had  gained  that  much  grace  and  was 
ready  to  let  the  savage  go,  but  by  this  time  Bill 
Schmuck  and  Mrs.  Mummer  had  appeared  upon 
the  scene. 

"Nay,  Miss  Peg,  you  '11  never  leave  the  child 
with  that  savage  for  three  days,"  that  worthy 
woman  burst  out  indignantly.  "Think  of  him  in 
the  woods,  with  never  a  dry  change  nor  a  fresh 
pair  of  shoes — and  not  so  much  as  a  nighty! 
Give  up  the  child,  ye  heathen,"  she  ended,  glaring 
at  Tiscoquam. 

"  'T  is  no  use  to  call  names,  Mrs.  Mummer," 
I  cautioned,  knowing  well  that  the  Indian's  in- 
tentions toward  Jacky  were  not  unfriendly  and 
seeing  that  our  best  means  of  getting  the  boy 
back  was  through  the  ring.  "We  may  lose  all 
if  we  are  too  impatient.  'Overhaste  churns  bad 
butter/  as  Mummer  says,"  I  ended,  the  saying 
popping  into  my  head. 

"Miss  Peg's  quite  right,"  agreed  Bill  Schmuck 
299 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

in  an  undertone.  "Anger  him  not,  lest  he  spirit 
the  boy  away  into  the  forest  where  it  would  take 
us  days  to  find  him." 

"Well,  at  least  ask  the  creature  how  the  child 
fares,"  groaned  Mrs.  Mummer. 

"Is  the  Eaglet  well,  Tiscoquam?"  I  inquired  to 
pacify  her,  though  she  had  seen  him  scarce  an 
hour  before. 

"All  is  well  with  the  Eaglet,"  the  Indian  an- 
swered with  dignity.  "In  his  heart  there  is  still 
love  for  his  red  brother  of  the  forest.  He  is  with 
his  own  people." 

"Then  in  three  days  you  will  come  again,"  I 
said,  seeing  little  use  in  detaining  him  further. 

"In  three  suns  Tiscoquam  comes  once  more," 
he  answered,  and  without  another  word  he 
turned  and  stalked  away. 

"You  will  not  let  him  go?"  cried  M.  Victor, 
starting  forward  as  if  he,  too,  would  restrain 
the  Indian. 

"Aye,  let  him  go,  sir,"  said  Bill  Schmuck. 
"  5T  would  do  no  good  to  hold  him.  He  'd  ne'er 
say  a  word.  E'en  torture  will  not  drag  aught 
from  one  of  these  savages.  I  '11  follow  him,  and 
if  once  I  find  his  camp  we  '11  have  the  boy  back 

300 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RETURN 

if  it  takes  a  regiment,"  and  he  moved  away  ready 
to  take  up  the  trail  as  soon  as  Tiscoquam  was 
far  enough  in  the  woods  not  to  know  he  was 
being  tracked. 

'Three  mortal  days  ere  we  have  the  little  man 
back,"  mourned  Mrs.  Mummer.  "  'T  is  a  bless- 
ing Miss  Bee  's  from  home." 

'T  is  the  only  thing  to  be  glad  of,"  I  assented, 
"and  we  must  have  Jacky  here  when  she  comes. 
Think  you,  you  can  find  the  ring,  monsieur?"  I 
added,  appealing  to  the  young  Frenchman. 

"If  you  will  let  me  have  a  horse,  mademoiselle, 
I  will  start  at  once  for  New  York,"  he  answered. 
"I  have  no  doubt  the  man  is  now  en  route  to  my 
agent,  expecting  in  some  way  to  secure  the  re- 
ward." 

We  hurried  back  to  the  house,  sending  word 
to  the  stables  to  have  a  horse  saddled  for  M. 
Victor,  and  Mrs.  Mummer  went  off  to  the 
kitchens  to  put  up  a  lunch  against  the  journey; 
but  she  had  scarce  left  the  room  when  she  was 
back  again  with  a  long  face. 

"Oh,  Miss  Peg,"  she  moaned,  "it  never  rains 
but  it  pours.  'Troubles  never  come  singly,'  as 
Mummer  says.  They  '11  be  back  this  afternoon," 

303 


:•   PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Back !    Who  ?"  I  demanded. 

"Master  John  and  Miss  Bee,"  she  answered. 
"They  were  in  Philadelphia  last  night  and  sent 
word  ahead  of  their  coming.  Mummer  has  just 
had  a  message.  And  the  boy  gone !  What  shall 
we  do?" 

Of  a  sudden  all  my  courage  left  me  and  had 
Mrs.  Mummer  and  I  been  alone  I  doubt  not  we 
should  have  wept  then  and  there ;  but  M.  Victor's 
presence  kept  our  eyes  dry  though  our  hearts 
were  heavy  indeed. 

"  'T  will  be  a  sad  homecoming  for  Bee,"  I 
sighed. 

"Aye,  there  you  're  right,"  answered  Mrs. 
Mummer  gloomily.  "I  never  thought  to  see  the 
day  when  I  would  hear  with  sorrow  that  the 
Master  and  Mistress  of  Denewood  were  on  their 
way  back  to  us." 


304 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A   HUNT    FOR   THE   RING 

FOR  a  time  this  news  of  Bee's  coming  robbed 
me  of  all  my  courage.     I  had  hoped  to 
have  the  boy  at  home  again  ere  she  returned, 
but  now,  in  a  few  hours,  I  must  tell  her  that  lit- 
tle Jack  was  gone. 

"I  am  so  sorry,  mademoiselle,"  M.  Victor  said 
sympathetically.  "I  suppose  your  man  knew 
best,  having  experience  with  these  wild  people, 
but  it  did  seem  to  me  we  might  have  learn'  some- 
thing had  we  held  the  savage." 

"Nay,  he  would  not  have  spoken  a  word  had 
we  made  him  a  prisoner,  monsieur,"  I  answered. 
'They  are  a  strange  people,  and  it  will  not  be 
so  bad  if  only  Tiscoquam  keeps  his  word.  But 
suppose  he  changes  his  mind  and  takes  the  boy 
north  with  him  at  once  ?  And  that  he  will  do  if 
we  threaten  him."  Already  I  was  fretting  my- 
self into  a  fever  of  fear  at  the  thought  of  what 
might  happen. 

305 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"But  your  man  will  fin'  their  camp,  will  he 
not?"  M.  Victor  questioned. 

"Yes,  I  think  so,  but  the  boy  may  not  be  there," 
I  explained.  "They  know  the  forest  so  well  that 
they  could  hide  him  completely  if  they  wished. 
There  are  many  things  they  might  do,  monsieur 
— and  they  are  savages." 

"Nay,  you  must  not  torture  yourself  by  brood- 
ing upon  unhappy  possibilities,"  M.  Victor  in- 
sisted gently;  "let  us  rather  hope  that  something- 
may  delay  your  cousins  upon  the  road  long 
enough  for  me  to  fin'  the  ring  before  their  re- 
turn." 

"Ah,  monsieur,  when  you  know  Madam 
Travers  you  will  understand  that  naught  will 
keep  her  from  her  children  when  she  is  so  near." 

"Even  so,  mademoiselle,"  M.  Victor  urged, 
"Madame  Travers  is,  I  am  sure,  too  wise  to  de- 
spair where  there  is  so  much  hope.  And  you 
also  must  keep  a  glad  face  to  help  her,  so  let  us 
not  dwell  on  this  matter  but  think  of  other  things. 
It  is  my  part  to  bring  you  the  ring  in  three  days. 
Let  us  talk  of  that.  I  but  wait  the  return  of  your 
man  Schmuck  to  start  out,  if  you  will  let  me  have 
that  horse." 

306 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

"Of  course,  monsieur, — but  where  will  you 
go?"  I  asked. 

"First  with  all  speed  to  Norristown,  stopping 
on  the  way  at  the  house  where  I  met  you,  made- 
moiselle," he  answered,  speaking  with  a  certain 
assurance  which  gave  me  courage.  "I  look  firs' 
for  Pilgrim  from  whom  I  will  get  news  of  his 
partner,  Blondell.  I  must  confess  I  thought  the 
Quakers  a  different  sort  of  people,"  he  ended  with 
a  slight  laugh. 

"Oh,  monsieur,  you  must  not  judge  the  Society 
of  Friends  by  that  man,"  I  hastened  to  assure 
him.  "He  's  no  true  Quaker,  but  one  of  the  many 
trimmers  in  the  land  who  pretended  to  be 
Friends  to  escape  the  charge  of  cowardice  for  not 
joining  our  army  during  the  war,  and  also  to 
make  sure  of  being  on  the  right  side  whoever 
won." 

"So  that  is  it,"  said  M.  Victor,  nodding 
thoughtfully. 

"Well,  in  this  case  perchance  't  is  better  that  we 
have  a  rascal  to  deal  with,  for  we  may  expect  him 
to  betray  his  accomplice — and  I  mean  to  have  the 
ring.  Be  sure  of  that." 

"Oh,  I  hope  so,"  I  replied ;  "but  what  is  a  ring 
3°7 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

with  a  reson  ?"  I  asked,  of  a  sudden  remembering 
the  advertisement. 

"Do  you  not  know?"  he  questioned  in  evident 
surprise. 

"Nay,  I  know  not  even  what  a  reson  is,"  I  con- 
fessed, not  realizing  at  the  moment  how  easily 
he  had  led  my  thoughts  away  from  my  troubles. 

"And  yet  it  is  your  own  language  that  has  the 
saying,  'without  rime  or  reson/  "  he  laughed. 

"Now  what  has  that  to  do  with  it?"  I  asked 
him. 

"Only  this,  mademoiselle,"  he  responded. 
"In  the  old  days,  rings  that  were  exchanged  be- 
tween fren's — "  he  hesitated  a  moment,  "or 
lovers,"  he  added,  "often  had  some  pretty  senti- 
ment within  them.  This  might  be  a  rime  or  it 
might  be  in  plain  prose.  In  other  words,  a 
reson." 

"But  my  ring  has  no  such  saying  in  it,"  I  said 
positively. 

"Ah,  has  it  not?"  M.  Victor  laughed  lightly. 
"Mayhap  some  day  I  shall  have  the  honor  to  in- 
struc'  you  about  that  ring,  mademoiselle. 
Though  you  have  wear  it  for  years  and  I  have 
never,  never  wear  it  at  all." 

308 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

"Then  how  do  you  know  so  much  about  it?" 
I  asked,  greatly  interested.  My  ring  was  ever 
close  to  my  heart  and  my  imagination  never  tired 
of  weaving  romances  about  it.  And  here  was 
another  mystery  of  which  I  had  not  guessed. 

"It  is  like  this,"  said  M.  Victor.  'This  ring 
have  been  in  dispute  in  our  family  for  years  and 
years.  The  father  of  the  late  Marquis  de 
Soulange-Caderousse  say  it  belong'  to  his  branch 
of  the  house.  My  gran'father  claim  it  is  to  us. 
But  they  have  possession  of  it,  so,  while  there  is 
much  talk  about  it  and  all  its  peculiarities  are 
common  knowledge,  I  have  seen  it  seldom,  and 
since  I  was  a  little  lad  it  have  been  los'  with  the 
young  marquis." 

"Ah,"  I  suggested  wisely,  "think  you  not 't  was 
the  title  made  the  old  Marquis  so  arrogant  ?  We 
have  those  among  us  here  even  now,  who  wish 
we  were  still  English  and  love  to  bow  and  scrape 
to  a  'Lord'  or  a  'Sir/  while  great  men  like  Doc- 
tor Franklin  and  his  Excellency,  General  Wash- 
ington, are  neglected." 

"Nay,  I  cannot  believe  that!"  exclaimed  M. 
Victor.  "They  are  both  such  wise  men.  Paris 
loves  Doctor  Franklin  to  this  day." 

3°9 


PEG  0'  THE  RING 

"  T  is  more  than  Philadelphia  does,"  I  burst 
out.  "Not  long  ago  Bee  and  I  were  on  our  way 
to  drink  a  dish  of  tea  with  him  when  we  met  a 
pert  Miss  who  told  us  '  't  was  no  longer  fashion- 
able to  visit  him/  But  I  am  glad  to  say  that  both 
his  and  his  Excellency's  birthdays  were  cele- 
brated publicly  this  year." 

"The  generations  to  come  will  remember, 
mademoiselle,"  M.  Victor  assured  me  earnestly. 
"When  we  are  gone,  when  many  we  now  think 
famous  are  forgotten,  the  names  of  Doctor 
Franklin  and  General  Washington  will  be  house- 
hoi'  words  in  this  great  country —  But  we  have 
travel'  far  from  your  ring.  You  remember  that 
I  spoke  of  a  controversy  between  the  families 
about  the  ownership  of  it?  Well,  the  late  mar- 
quis (he  have  a  wicked  title  too,  mademoiselle), 
he  have  the  grace  to  make  restitution,  for  he 
leave  the  ring  in  his  will  to  my  father's  oldest 
son — which  is  me — so  that  all  breach  in  the 
family  shall  be  heal'." 

"Oh,  you  will  stand  up  for  them,  seeing  that 
you  come  from  a  country  where  titles  are  com- 
mon, but  we  good  Americans  hold  them  in  small 
favor,"  I  answered  with  some  asperity.  "I  am 

310 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

glad  your  ring  is  yours  once  more,  but  I  cannot 
think  a  handle  to  his  name  makes  a  better  man.  It 
but  serves  to  make  him  conceity  when  he  has 
naught  else  to  be  proud  of." 

M.  Victor  laughed  at  this  sally  much  more 
than  it  seemed  to  warrant,  but  an  interruption 
put  the  matter  out  of  my  head. 

"Miss  Peggy,"  cried  Mrs.  Mummer,  entering 
the  room  in  haste,  "here  's  a  lad  wanting  to  see 
you,  from  what  I  can  make  out  of  his  outlandish 
speech." 

Behind  her  came  Mummer,  leading  a  gangling 
youth  with  a  shock  of  red  hair,  whom  I  recog- 
nized at  once  as  Otto  Pilgrim. 

"Do  you  wish  to  see  me?"  I  asked,  going  to 
him. 

"Nein!  Nein!"  he  answered,  grinning  and 
winking  at  me  as  if  we  had  some  huge  joke  be- 
tween us. 

I  looked  to  Mummer  for  an  explanation,  but 
he  shook  his  head  dolefully. 

"You  can't  clear  coffee  with  an  addled  egg," 
the  old  steward  muttered.  "  'T  is  useless  to  ex- 
pect sense  from  a  simpleton,  Miss  Peggy,"  he 
added. 

3" 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Have  you  a  message  for  me?"  I  asked,  again 
addressing  the  boy. 

"Ja!  Ja!"  he  burst  out  delightedly,  and  fum- 
bling in  his  pocket  he  produced  a  letter  which  he 
handed  to  me.  It  was  from  his  mother  and  read 
as  follows : 

Mistress  Margaret  Travers,  of  Denewood  in  German- 
town. 

Honored  Miss :  My  husband  Jasper  Pilgrim  repenteth 
him  of  his  actions  toward  thee,  for  which  his  wife  is  truly 
thankful  and  grateful.  He  bids  me  inform  thee  that  thy 
ring  is  in  the  hands  of  one  Friend  Sperry  who  is  now 
upon  the  road  to  New  York  to  an  Agent  named  M'- 
Sparren,  thus  cheating  said  Jasper  Pilgrim  out  of  his 
just  and  due  reward.  This  information  he  sends  thee 
gratis,  knowing  thy  great  interest  in  the  ring,  and  he 
hopeth  thee  may  frustrate  the  villain  Sperry  who  keepeth 
not  his  sworn  word. 

For  myself  I  beg  you  will  forgive  a  woman  who  prom- 
ised upon  her  marriage  in  the  church  to  obey  her  husband, 
which  led  her  into  a  matter  in  which  she  had  no  heart  and 
which  accorded  ill  with  her  well  known  honest  dealings. 
Thy  humble,  ob'd't  servant, 

KETURAH  PILGRIM. 

I  read  the  letter  aloud  and  at  the  end  M.  Victor 
clapped  his  hands. 

"Good,  mademoiselle,"  he  cried.     "I  can  al- 
312 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

most  find  it  in  my  mind  to  forgive  that  false 
Quaker.  Now  I  can  promise  you  the  ring  in 
three  days  or  less." 

I  told  Mrs.  Mummer  to  give  Otto  some  goodies 
and  he  went  away  with  Mummer,  halting  a  mo- 
ment at  the  door  to  give  me  a  final  wink  before 
he  disappeared  slowly  beyond  the  jamb,  with- 
drawing his  head  last  like  the  old  tortoise  he 
always  reminded  me  of. 

M.  Victor's  preparations  for  departure  now 
went  forward  quickly,  but  although  he  protested 
he  had  but  just  finished  breakfast,  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer made  him  sit  down  to  take  another  bite 
against  the  coming  journey. 

He  talked  confidently  as  he  hurried  with  his 
eating,  seeming  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  serve 
us. 

"  'When  thieves  fall  out,'  as  you  have  the  say- 
ing, mademoiselle,"  he  said  laughingly,  but  the 
words  were  scarce  out  of  his  mouth  ere  he 
stopped,  listening,  then  jumped  to  his  feet  as  the 
sound  of  hoof-beats  on  the  driveway  came  to  us. 

"Is  it  my  horse?"  he  asked. 

"Nay,  yours  must  have  been  waiting  for  some 
time,  and  this  is  more  than  one,"  I  replied,  rising, 


.  PEG  O'  THE  RING 

for  now  the  noise  of  several  animals  was  quite 
plain. 

"  'T  is  Bee,"  I  said  to  myself,  my  hand  going 
to  my  heart.  Instead  of  delaying,  they  had  come 
sooner  than  we  had  expected.  How  could  I  tell 
her  that  her  boy  'was  gone  ? 

An  instant  later  there  was  a  sharp  knock  on 
the  front  door,  and  old  Sam  shuffled  to  answer  it 
while  I  stood  awaiting  Bee's  first  words  to  make 
certain  what  I  most  dreaded. 

Instead  there  came  a  volley  of  French,  spoken 
by  a  man  who  demanded  in  no  uncertain  terms, 
"Monsieur  le  Vicomte!" 

"  'T  is  Louis,  my  equerry,"  exclaimed  M.  Vic- 
tor, starting  for  the  door.  Small  wonder  he  had 
chuckled  at  my  contempt  for  men  with  titles  when 
all  the  while  he  had  one  himself ! 

As  I  followed  him  I  heard  old  Sam  grumbling : 

"  'T  ain't  no  manner  o'  use  sayin'  all  them 
cuss  words  at  me,  sir.  I  don't  know  what  you 
all  means  no  mor'n  if  you  all  was  a-talkin'  Hes- 
sian. Mr.  John  Travers,  Esquire,  he  lives 
here — "  but  by  this  time  we  were  at  the  door,  and 
in  the  portico  stood  four  men. 

In  front  was  a   fierce  looking,  mustachioed 


"And  now  may  I  proceed  upon  my  journey?"  he  asked 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

French  servitor,  who,  on  the  instant  he  saw  M. 
Victor,  stepped  back  and  saluted.  Behind  him 
were  two  others  of  like  stamp,  and  between  them, 
evidently  a  prisoner,  stood  Captain  George 
Blundell. 

"Ah,  ha!"  cried  M.  Victor  gaily,  "did  I  not 
say,  mademoiselle,  that  Louis  would  reco'nize  my 
horse?  'T  is  well  done,  my  children,"  he  went 
on  in  French  to  his  servants,  each  of  whom  was 
old  enough  to  be  his  father.  "But  how  came  you 
to  find  me  here?  The  good  McSparren  grew 
alarmed  because  I  did  not  return,  eh? — " 

"I  can  explain  that,"  Blundell  broke  in  angrily. 
"I  met  your  fools  of  servants  as  I  traveled 
through  the  Jerseys  and  they  were  not  willing 
simply  to  take  the  horse,  but  must  needs  detain 
me  also,  till  they  had  seen  you.  I  guessed  this 
would  be  the  place  to  find  you  and  led  them  here 
to  be  the  more  quickly  rid  of  them." 

"You  shall  have  the  welcome  you  deserve,  sir," 
said  M.  Victor  grimly,  "and  if  you  are  dispose' 
to  play  the  gentleman  for  once  you  may  soon 
go  your  way." 

"Play  the  gentleman,"  cried  Blundell  in  hot 
anger.  "I  like  not  the  tone  you  take,  Monsieur 

3V 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

le  Vicomte,  and  will  hold  you  accountable  for 
your  slur  upon  my  honor." 

"Your  honor!"  exclaimed  the  young  French- 
man, but  without  raising  his  voice.  "Think  you 
I  would  bare  my  sword  to  fight  with  such  as  you? 
In  my  own  country  the  horse  boys  would  be  set 
to  whip  you  out  of  the  place —  And  you  like 
not  the  tone  I  take?  Bien,  monsieur,  I  like  not 
that  you  take  my  horse  without  leave.  Nor  do 
I  like  the  way  you  have  treat'  Mademoiselle 
Travers  in  the  matter  of  a  certain  ring.  How- 
ever, the  restoration  of  that  will  save  you  from 
the  little  beating  at  the  hands  of  my  servants 
which  I  hold  for  you." 

"  'T  is  well  to  have  hired  bullies  to  do  what 
you  would  ne'er  dare  attempt  yourself,"  Blun- 
dell  sneered.  "And  as  to  your  ring,  you  must 
e'en  find  it  without  my  aid.  'T  is  a  souvenir  I 
shall  retain  in  memory  of  the  young  lady  who 
gave  it  to  me.  Egad,  't  would  scarce  be  a  gallant 
act  to  part  with  it  too  readily." 

For  a  moment  M.  Victor  looked  at  me  in  won- 
derment, but  I  was  too  angry  at  Blundell's  hints 
to  heed  him. 

"You  forced  it  from  me,  sir,"  I  cried  out. 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

"There  is  naught  in  the  world  I  would  give  you 
of  my  own  free  will.  Monsieur,"  I  went  on, 
turning  to  M.  Victor,  "can  you  not  have  the  man 
searched  at  once?  He  must  have  the  ring  upon 
his  person." 

"It  shall  be  done,  mademoiselle,"  M.  le  Vicomte 
answered,  "unless  he  giv'  it  to  us  de  bonne 
volonte." 

"Nay,"  retorted  Blundell;  "find  it  yourself— 
an  you  can!" 

At  a  word  from  his  master  Louis  seized  his 
captive  and  took  him  inside  the  house  for  a 
thorough  search.  Meanwhile  we  waited  impa- 
tiently on  the  portico,  but  when  at  length  they 
came  forth  again,  one  look  at  Blundell  told  me  all 
too  plainly  that  the  search  had  failed.  He  was 
more  insolent  than  ever  and  smiled  evilly. 

"And  now  may  I  be  permitted  to  proceed  upon 
my  journey?"  he  asked.  "Or  have  you  some 
other  indignity  you  wish  to  subject  me  too,  seeing 
that  you  have  a  sufficient  number  of  servants  at 
hand  to  protect  you  ?" 

M.  Victor  questioned  Louis,  who  answered  re- 
gretfully that  he  could  find  naught  upon  the  man. 

This  was  a  keen  disappointment  to  me,  for  if 
319 


PEG  O1  THE  RING 

Blundell  was  no  longer  in  possession  of  the  ring 
the  hope  of  finding  it  within  the  three  days  was 
at  an  end.  Before  there  had  always  been  this 
anticipation  to  temper  for  Bee  the  fact  that  little 
Jack  was  in  the  Indian's  hands;  now,  if  even  this 
was  gone,  what  comfort  could  we  hold  out  to  her 
and  where  should  we  look  for  the  missing  trinket  ? 

"I  scarce  know  what  to  do,  mademoiselle,"  M. 
Victor  whispered  to  me  privately.  "But  I  can 
see  no  use  in  holding  the  man.  It  may  be  best 
to  let  him  go  and  follow  secretly,  hoping  he  will 
lead  us  to  the  hiding-place  of  the  ring." 

I  was  too  near  to  tears  to  answer,  so  I  nodded 
agreement,  and  the  young  Frenchman,  with  a 
curt  word,  told  the  prisoner  that  he  could  de- 
part. 

But  Captain  Blundell,  seeing  that  he  had  the 
upper  hand,  was  more  insolent  than  ever,  and, 
stepping  close  to  me,  swept  me  a  bow  and  then 
turned  his  back  upon  me  with  intentional  dis- 
respect. 

'T  was  then  I  noted  his  manner  of  hair  dress- 
ing for  the  first  time. 

He  wore  no  wig,  and  his  dark  hair  was  drawn 
320 


A  HUNT  FOR  THE  RING 

back  into  a  coarsely  netted  queue-bag,  and  in  a 
flash  a  thought  came  to  me. 

"T-t-there !"  I  stuttered,  so  excited  was  I. 
"T-t-there  's  w-w-where  he  h-h-has  it  h-h-hid," 
and  I  pointed  to  his  queue. 

"What  mean  you,  Miss  Peggy,"  cried  Mrs. 
Mummer,  who  had  come  out  from  the  house  and 
was  quite  alive  to  the  seriousness  of  the  situa- 
tion. 

"I  mean  the  queue-bag!"  I  exclaimed.  "Have 
they  looked  there?" 

At  a  word  from  M.  Victor,  Louis  explained 
that  they  had  not  taken  the  bag  off  for  the  reason 
that  the  mesh  was  so  open  that,  were  the  ring 
placed  within  it,  it  must  fall  through. 

"But  please  look,"  I  begged,  for  I  was  con- 
vinced that  it  lay  there,  and  a  glance  at  Blun- 
dell  served  to  confirm  this,  for  his  face  had 
grown  scarlet  with  rage  and  he  had  started  down 
the  steps  with  a  rough  word  on  his  lips. 

"Seize  the  man,"  ordered  M.  le  Vicomte,  and 
Louis  dragged  his  reluctant  captive  back  to  the 
portico. 

"You  pack  of  cowards,"  roared  Blundell,  and 
321 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

twisting  himself  free  from  Louis  he  sprang  to- 
ward M.  Victor. 

"Will  you  fight?"  he  shouted. 

"It  would  be  a  poor  return  for  Monsieur 
Travers'  hospitality  to  brawl  before  his  house," 
said  the  young  Frenchman  coolly.  "Nor  do  I 
need  to  prove  my  valor  on  such  as  you." 

But  Blundell,  doubly  enraged  at  his  contempt, 
leaped  forward  and  struck  him  across  the  face 
with  the  back  of  his  hand. 

"Now  will  you  fight!"  he  cried,  "or  will  you 
still  hide  behind  your  servants  ?"  and  he  whipped 
out  his  sword. 

"Back,  Louis!  Back,  Francois!"  M.  Victor 
ordered,  as  his  servants  started  toward  Blundell, 
"vous  etes  trop  tard,"  and  even  as  he  spoke  his 
sword  met  the  British  captain's  and  the  ring  of 
steel  filled  the  air. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

A   QUESTION    OF   STRATEGY 

SO  suddenly  had  the  clash  between  the  two  men 
come  that  they  were  hard  at  it  ere  the  rest 
of  us  realized  what  was  going  forward.  But 
the  sharp  hiss  of  the  swords  as  they  met  brought 
us  to  our  senses,  and  Mrs.  Mummer,  with  a  little 
shriek  of  terror,  dragged  me  back  out  of  the  way. 
She  would  have  had  me  run  into  the  house,  but  I 
would  not.  It  would  have  seemed  like  deserting 
M.  Victor,  who  was  brought  to  this  quarrel  on 
my  account ;  so  I  stood  apart  and  watched,  scarce 
conscious  that  I  even  breathed. 

Sword  play  was  no  new  thing  to  us  at  Dene- 
wood,  but  heretofore  I  had  witnessed  only  prac- 
tice bouts  between  Cousin  John  and  Allen  Mc- 
Lane,  both  of  whom  were  reckoned  very  skilful. 
This,  however,  was  a  different  matter,  for  Blun- 
dell  at  least  was  in  deadly  earnest  and  would  kill 
the  young  Frenchman  if  he  could. 

And  I,  who  knew  naught  of  M.  Victor's  skill 
323 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

with  the  sword,  could  not  help  but  be  a  little  fear- 
ful for  the  outcome.  He  was  scarce  more  than 
a  boy,  slight,  graceful  and,  to  my  thinking,  very 
handsome,  but  he  seemed  not  to  have  the  strength 
to  combat  his  older  and  more  rugged  antagonist, 
who,  from  the  very  beginning,  pressed  the  fight 
fiercely,  putting  all  his  weight  into  his  attack  and 
forcing  M.  Victor  back  a  pace  or  two  by  the  very 
fury  of  his  onslaught. 

If  Blundell  had  counted  upon  discomposing 
the  young  man  by  this  fury  he  was  much  mis- 
taken. M.  Victor,  angry  for  an  instant  at  the 
blow,  had  cooled  almost  as  quickly  and  a  smile 
came  to  his  lips  as  his  sword  met  unerringly  the 
heavy  thrusts  of  Blundell. 

"Does  Monsieur  think  he  chop'  down  a  tree?" 
he  cried  out  gaily,  as  Blundell  lunged  with  fearful 
desperation.  "Monsieur  is  perchance  more  skil- 
ful with  an  ax." 

So  he  went  on  defending  himself  with  appar- 
ent ease,  and  all  the  while  goading  Blundell  into 
a  state  of  fury  by  his  taunting  remarks,  though 
the  Englishman  said  no  word  in  reply  but  only 
fought  the  more  desperately. 

How  long  the  combat  lasted  I  know  not.  I 
324 


A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 

watched  the  play  of  swords,  scarce  conscious  of 
Louis  and  the  other  servants,  standing  alert  with 
their  weapons  bared  in  their  hands  ready  to  guard 
their  master  at  the  first  sign  of  treachery,  but 
making  no  move  to  interfere.  At  one  corner  of 
the  portico  old  Sam  crouched  with  two  or  three 
of  our  Denewood  servants,  muttering  among 
themselves.  Mrs.  Mummer,  beside  me,  seemed 
as  fascinated  as  I,  and  after  her  first  protest  said 
no  further  word  of  my  leaving  the  spot. 

For  a  time  no  change  was  apparent  in  the  com- 
bat. Blundell  pressed  the  fighting  and  M.  Vic- 
tor defended  himself  coolly.  But  in  a  little  the 
British  captain  began  to  pant  for  breath  and 
behind  his  blade  there  was  a  lack  of  its  former 
force.  I  looked  searchingly  at  him,  noting  that 
his  expression  of  anger  gave  place  to  anxiety  and, 
as  he  began  to  tire  from  his  vain  effort  to  pierce 
the  defense  of  the  young  Frenchman,  a  hint  of 
fear  grew  in  his  eyes. 

"Ah,  monsieur,"  cried  M.  Victor,  "your  ax 
grow'  heavy,  eh?  And  yet  the  tree  still  Stan's." 

He  laughed  a  little,  joyously,  as  if  he  were  hav- 
ing the  very  happiest  time  imaginable,  then  sud- 
denly there  came  a  change. 

325 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Come,"  he  said  sternly,  "this  grow'  monoto- 
nous. You  must  strive  to  keep  me  amuse'/'  and 
in  an  instant  he  became  the  aggressor,  and  his 
bright  sword  began  to  play  about  Blundell  like  a 
flame.  Never  had  I  dreamed  of  such  mastery  of 
the  weapon  as  the  young  Frenchman  displayed. 
In  a  moment  the  Englishman  was  helpless  before 
a  blade  that  darted  in  and  out  like  lightning, 
and  all  the  while  his  young  opponent  laughed 
gaily. 

Step  by  step  the  one-time  British  captain  gave 
ground,  panting  like  a  thirsty  dog,  tired,  beaten, 
and  fearful  that  the  next  thrust  would  pass  his 
feeble  guard. 

"Nay,  do  not  fear,"  cried  M.  le  Vicomte. 
"Think  you  I  would  put  a  blot  upon  a  good  sword 
by  staining  it  with  your  blood  ?  Ah,  no !  I  could 
have  kill'  you  a  dozen  times  an*  I  had  like',  but 
this  is  a  better  way  with  such  as  you!"  and 
with  a  short,  sharp  twist  Blundell's  sword  was 
wrenched  out  of  his  hand  and  flew  singing  across 
the  lawn. 

"Take  the  dog  away,  Louis,"  said  M.  Victor 
to  his  equerry.  "And  see  that  he  comes  not  back 
again." 

326 


A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 

In  a  twinkling  of  the  eye  the  contest  had  ended 
and  I  stood  dumb  till  Louis  started  to  lead  Blun- 
dell  away. 

"Oh,  the  ring,"  I  criecl.  "Pray  don't  forget 
the  ring!" 

Evidently  Louis  understood  that  much  English, 
for,  without  waiting  for  a  command  from  his 
master,  he  snatched  the  queue-bag  from  off  Blun- 
dell's  head. 

"Voila,  monsieur  le  Vicomte !"  he  cried,  holding 
it  toward  me.  "Voila!  C'est  extraordinaire, 
n'est-ce  pas  ?"  and  I  ran  to  look. 

I  held  out  my  hand,  for  I  took  a  childish  pleas- 
ure in  the  thought  of  being  the  one  to  give  the 
ring  to  M.  Victor,  and  Louis  presented  me  with 
the  queue-bag  with  the  ring  inside.  It  was  the 
bag  which  had  drawn  forth  the  exclamation  of 
surprise,  for  it  had  within  it  a  very  finely  netted 
sack  of  human  hair  the  color  of  Blundell's,  which 
had  served  to  keep  safe  and  conceal  anything  put 
therein.  I  noted  the  cleverness  of  the  device,  but 
at  last  I  held  my  precious  ring  again  and  to  the 
joy  I  felt  at  that  and  all  it  meant  to  me,  was  added 
the  recollection  that  it  belonged  to  the  gallant 
French  gentleman  beside  me. 

327 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Monsieur,"  I  said,  handing-  it  to  him,  "all  I 
regret  is  that  I  did  not  keep  it  more  safely  for 
you." 

"Mademoiselle,"  he  answered  with  a  low  bow, 
"your  regret'  are  as  nothing  to  mine.  I  shall 
ever  think  with  shame  that  I  los'  my  temper  in 
the  presence  of  a  so  sweet  lady." 

"You  could  not  help  it!"  I  exclaimed.  "I 
w-w-would  n't  have  f- forgiven  you  if  you 
h-h-had  n't." 

"It  was  the  blow,  mademoiselle,  that  for  the 
minute  made  me  forget  myself,"  then  as  if  this 
reminded  him  of  Blundell,  he  turned  suddenly  and 
looked  at  the  man  still  standing  with  his  head 
dropped  to  his  breast.  "Louis,"  he  cried  sternly, 
"mus'  I  tell  you  twice  to  take  that  man  away? 
Mus'  I  remind  you  that  you  let  a  thief  strike  your 
master?  Take  him  away  and  start  him  on  the 
road.  I  care  not  to  remember  that  I  have  cross' 
swords  with  such  as  he;  though,  to  be  sure,  he 
fences  like — like  what  he  is,"  and  with  that  the 
young  man  turned  to  me  once  more,  all  smiles. 
"Let  us  forget,  mademoiselle,  that  there  are  such 
people  in  the  world."  And  when  I  looked  that 
way  again  Blundell  had  disappeared  and  I  know 

328 


A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 

not  to  this  day  what  disposition  Louis  made  of 
him. 

"And  now,  mademoiselle,  we  must  fin'  the  boy 
ere  his  mother  returns,"  M.  Victor  went  on  with 
a  smile.  "We  have  the  ring.  All  that  remains 
is  to  encounter  the  Indian." 

"Oh,  if  only  we  could  get  Jacky  back  before 
Bee  comes,"  I  exclaimed  as  we  went  into 
the  house.  "But  we  can  do  naught  till  Bill 
Schmuck  returns,  monsieur." 

"I  shall  send  Dave  after  him,"  said  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer, who  had  followed  us,  and  she  went  off  forth- 
with. 

So  many  things  had  happened  that  morning 
since  I  left  my  bed  that  it  seemed  much  time  must 
have  elapsed,  but  in  reality  scarce  half  an  hour 
had  passed  since  Clarinda  had  brought  the  news 
of  Jacky's  disappearance. 

This  fact  I  discovered  as  I  glanced  at  the  tall 
clock  in  the  hall. 

"We  have  nigh  the  whole  morning  left,"  I  cried 
joyfully,  "and  Cousin  John  said  they  would  not 
return  till  afternoon.  If  only  we  had  recovered 
the  ring  before  Tiscoquam  came,"  I  ended  with  a 
regretful  sigh. 

529 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Nay  now,  do  not  lose  your  courage  just  as 
you  are  winning,"  said  M.  Victor  cheerfully;  "we 
shall  fin'  the  boy  in  time.  You  '11  see.  Fate  is 
on  our  side." 

"Do  you  really  think  so?'"  I  questioned,  grate- 
ful for  his  encouragement. 

"Of  course  I  do,"  he  returned  confidently. 
"Ah,  mademoiselle,  I  only  wish  I  was  so  sure  of 
a  successful  ending  to  my  own  search." 

In  my  anxiety  for  Jacky  I  had  forgot  all  about 
the  lost  little  marquis,  but  when  I  stopped  to  think 
of  it  this  quest  seemed  very  hopeless. 

"At  least  you  have  found  the  ring,"  I  said,  try- 
ing to  hearten  him  as  he  had  heartened  me.  "Per- 
haps after  all  your  little  cousin  is  not  so  far 
away." 

"I  wish  I  could  hope  so,"  he  answered, 
"but,  mademoiselle,  your  country  is  so  vast  that 
sometimes  I  cannot  help  having  a  discourage- 
ment." 

"Will  you  know  the  boy,  monsieur,  after  all 
these  years,  now  that  he  and  the  ring  have  be- 
come separated?" 

"Yes,  without  a  doubt,  mademoiselle,"  he  an- 
swered, and  would  have  explained  further,  but 

330 


A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 

at  that  moment  Bill  Schmuck  came  into  the  room 
with  Mrs.  Mummer. 

"Oh!"  I  exclaimed  delightedly,  as  I  saw  him. 
"You  are  back  sooner  than  I  expected,  Bill.  You 
must  take  us  to  Tiscoquam  at  once,  for  we  have 
the  ring  again." 

"I  wish  I  could,  Miss  Peggy,"  he  answered, 
"but  the  redskin  has  give'  me  the  slip." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  I  gasped. 

"He  disappeared  as  if  the  ground  had  swal- 
lowed him  up,"  Bill  admitted,  dropping  his  eyes 
from  mine  as  if  in  shame  at  his  failure. 

"Then  you  can't  take  us  to  Tiscoquam !"  I  fal- 
tered, as  I  realized  the  significance  of  his  words. 

He  shook  his  head. 

On  the  instant  all  my  hopes  were  dashed.  We 
were  then  no  better  off  than  before  the  ring  was 
found.  From  confident  hope  my  spirits  dropped 
to  black  despair  as  I  thought  of  the  three  days 
poor  Bee  would  have  to  endure  before  she  could 
see  her  boy  again.  I  could  have  cried  then  and 
there,  but  kept  back  my  tears  before  M.  Victor. 

"How  came  you  to  lose  the  savage?"  demanded 
Mrs.  Mummer,  turning  fiercely  upon  Bill. 

"The  trail  stopped  in  a  thicket  of  laurels,"  he 
331 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

explained.  "At  a  point  little  more  than  a  mile 
from  here  in  a  straight  line  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Wissahickon  Creek.  They  've  a  hiding-place 
thereabout,  I  'm  thinking.  I  followed  the  Indian 
there,  easily  enough.  He  made  no  move  to  con- 
ceal his  path  and  I  kept  him  in  sight  till  he  disap- 
peared." 

"And  ye  mean  ye  could  n't  find  him  again  an* 
you  so  clever  in  the  woods,"  cried  Mrs.  Mummer, 
much  upset.  "The  earth  did  not  swallow  him 
up.  You  could  scarce  have  been  at  pains  to  seek 
the  savage — and  the  boy  is  lost !"  she  ended  with 
a  wail. 

Mrs.  Mummer  was  so  wrought-up  that  she 
cared  not  upon  whose  head  her  blame  fell,  but 
her  excitement  calmed  me,  and  I  saw  that  Bill 
knew  more  than  he  had  as  yet  told. 

"And  did  you  find  nothing  further,  Bill?"  I 
asked,  with  no  hint  of  blame  in  my  tone,  for  we 
all  knew  he  was  to  be  depended  upon,  whatever 
the  circumstances. 

"Aye,  Miss  Peggy,  I  did,"  he  answered.  "I 
discovered  the  tracks  of  a  dozen  savages,  at  least. 
The  ground  was  thick  with  them  up  to  the  laurels, 
though  there  they  all  stopped." 

332 


A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 

"Ye  could  have  gone  into  the  bushes,"  Mrs. 
Mummer  burst  out.  "Did  ye  fear  to  tear  your 
hosen  that  ye  halted  for  some  bushes?" 

"  'T  was  not  that  brought  me  back,"  Bill  went 
on,  apparently  in  no  way  angered  at  Mrs.  Mum- 
mer's manner  toward  him,  "but  had  I  gone  in,  a 
lone  man  among  a  dozen  redskins,  there  might  not 
have  been  any  one  to  bring  the  news." 

"You  were  afraid!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Mummer. 

"Nay,  Bill  was  quite  right,  Mrs.  Mummer,"  I 
protested. 

"I  was  not  thinking  of  myself,  Miss  Peggy," 
Bill  continued  evenly.  "They  were  not  like  to 
have  hurt  me,  but  they  might  have  carried  me  off 
with  the  boy,  keeping  me  with  them  for  a  few 
days  till  all  chance  to  catch  up  with  them  would 
have  been  gone.  Then  they  would  have  set  me 
free,  but  it  would  have  been  too  late.  We 
must  n't  frighten  them  away,  miss,"  he  ended. 

Clearly  Bill  Schmuck  had  used  excellent  judg- 
ment in  not  alarming  Tiscoquam  and  his  band, 
but  little  Jack  was  as  far  from  us  as  ever. 

"Can  you  not  secure  a  strong  party  and  sur- 
round the  savages?"  asked  M.  Victor. 

"  T  is  what  I  have  in  mind,  sir,"  Bill  replied, 
333 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"but  't  is  a  ticklish  affair,  and  I  'm  for  waiting 
till  Master  John  comes  home  this  afternoon/' 

"But  Jacky  must  be  back  before  his  mother  re- 
turns," I  insisted. 

"I  like  as  little  as  any  one  to  have  the  mistress 
frighted  for  naught,"  Bill  remarked,  shaking 
his  head,  "but  I  dare  not  take  a  party  there  with- 
out another  who  knows  the  woods  to  head  half 
the  men.  We  must  surround  them,  miss,  and 
there 's  no  one  here  I  could  trust  save  Master 
John." 

"I  think  your  man  is  wise,"  agreed  M.  Victor. 
"To  alarm  them  might  be  to  lose  all." 

But  I  was  not  ready  to  give  up.  I  had  no  wish 
to  tell  Bee  her  boy  was  gone  and  a  plan  had  come 
into  my  mind. 

"Bill,"  I  said,  "suppose  you  take  M.  le  Vicomte 
and  me  near  to  the  place  where  the  laurel  thicket 
is,  and  from  there  I  will  go  on  alone.  Surely 
Tiscoquam  and  his  band  will  not  fear  me." 

"Nay,"  answered  Bill,  hesitatingly,  "they'll 
scarce  run  from  you;  but,  Miss  Peggy,  I  like 
not—" 

"Then  we  will  go  at  once,"  I  broke  in.  "If 
there  is  no  danger  of  my  alarming  the  Indians 

334 


A  QUESTION  OF  STRATEGY 

surely  we  can  lose  naught  by  the  attempt,  and  we 
may  gain  the  boy." 

"Oh,  but  Miss  Peggy,  dear — "  Mrs.  Mummer 
began,  looking  at  me  with  a  scared  face. 

"Nay,  naught  shall  stop  me,"  I  insisted  posi- 
tively, and  I  looked  to  M.  Victor,  hoping  he  would 
support  me  in  my  purpose. 

"I  will  guarantee  mademoiselle's  safety,"  he 
said  to  Mrs.  Mummer,  and  the  matter  was  set- 
tled. 

At  Bill's  suggestion  we  took  horses,  going  by 
road  the  greater  part  of  the  way  in  order  to  save 
time.  And  we  delayed  not,  but  started  as  soon 
as  the  animals  could  be  saddled,  taking  Charley, 
a  black  boy,  with  us,  to  hold  them  when  we 
should  take  to  the  woods. 

We  broke  into  a  quick  gallop  the  moment  we 
struck  the  road,  and  perhaps  it  was  the  rush  of 
the  wind  and  the  swift  ride  that  put  so  much 
confidence  into  my  heart.  At  any  rate  I  grew 
more  and  more  certain  that  when  I  came  that 
way  again  little  Jack  would  make  one  of  the 
party. 

"We  shall  find  him,  monsieur,"  I  cried  to  M. 
Victor,  who  rode  beside  me. 

335 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Oh,  to  be  sure,"  he  answered.  "The  Fates 
could  not  be  unkin'  to  so  courageous  a  lady." 

We  came  presently  to  the  edge  of  the  woods 
where  we  were  to  leave  the  horses  while  we  went 
the  rest  of  the  way  afoot. 

I  had  doffed  the  save-guard  skirt  I  had  put  on, 
and  had  thrown  it  over  my  saddle,  so  that  I  might 
the  more  easily  climb  the  hillside,  when  I  heard 
the  clatter  of  several  horses  coming  swiftly  along 
the  road  toward  us.  As  I  turned  to  see  whom 
it  might  be  who  traveled  at  such  a  rapid  pace,  I 
heard  my  name  called  and  my  heart  sank  like 
lead. 

"Why,  Peggy  Travers!  What  in  the  world 
are  you  doing  here?"  I  knew  that  voice  too  well 
to  need  to  look.  It  was  Bee,  hurrying  home  as 
fast  as  she  could  to  see  her  children. 


'In  a  moment  Bee  was  off  her  horse  and  we  were  in  each  other's  arms' 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

CROSS   PURPOSES 

IN  a  moment  Bee  was  off  her  horse  and  we  were 
in  each  other's  arms. 

"Oh,  Peggy  dear,  I  've  been  so  worried  about 
you,"  she  cried  as  she  kissed  me. 

I  clung  to  her  in  a  sort  of  desperation,  hiding 
my  head  on  her  shoulder  and  dreading  the  mo- 
ment when  she  would  ask  if  all  were  well  at  Dene- 
wood. 

"It 's  been  a  fine  scare  you  've  given  us,"  cried 
John  as  he  dismounted.  "But  what  on  earth  are 
you  doing  here  at  this  hour  of  the  morning?" 

The  moment  had  come  when  I  must  give  the 
news  which  would  wound  sorely  the  heart  of  her 
I  loved  most  in  the  world.  I  could  not  even  stut- 
ter at  such  a  time.  My  tongue  refused  to  speak 
the  words,  and  I  could  but  press  the  closer  to  her. 
There  was  no  way  to  avoid  answering  so  simple 
a  question,  except  by  telling  the  plain  truth,  and 
that  I  could  not  do. 

339 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"Your  pardon,  monsieur,"  I  heard  M.  Victor 
saying,  evidently  to  Cousin  John.  "Mademoi- 
selle Travers  is  good  enough  to  aid  me  to  fin'  a 
little  cousin  that  has  been  las'  hear'  of  among  the 
Indian'.  We  are  but  now  looking  for  their  hid- 
ing place." 

My  heart  leaped  with  hope  as  I  heard  the  young 
man  speak.  For  the  moment  he  had  saved  the 
situation.  If  we  made  it  appear  that  it  was  his 
cousin  we  were  seeking,  Bee  need  have  no  anx- 
iety, and  I  trusted  Jacky  would  be  restored  to  her 
ere  she  knew  he  was  lost.  In  a  moment  I  had 
recovered  the  use  of  my  tongue  and  began  my 
explanation  glibly  enough. 

"Oh,  Bee,  't  is  such  a  long  and  strange  story 
that  most  of  it  must  wait  till  we  get  home,"  I  burst 
in.  Then  I  introduced  M.  le  Vicomte  to  her  and 
Cousin  John. 

"You  see,  it  all  has  to  do  with  my  mysterious 
ring,"  I  went  on  breathlessly.  "You  know  how 
Tiscoquam  acted  when  he  saw  the  seal? — Well, 
he  is  here  again,  and  M.  de  Soulange  seeks  for 
news  of  the  lost  boy  we  read  of  in  the  advertise- 
ment. You  remember,  don't  you?" 

340 


CROSS  PURPOSES 

''Now  I  have  never  seen  Tiscoquam  since  our 
wedding,"  cried  Bee.  "I  would  that  I  could  go 
with  you." 

"Since  when  has  your  time  been  so  engaged?" 
Cousin  John  asked  with  a  smile. 

"Ah,  John,  don't  tease  me.  It  seems  a  year 
already  since  I  saw  the  children/'  Bee  answered 
with  a  little  blush  at  her  own  fondness. 

But  the  suggestion  that  she  might  accompany 
us  was  a  solution  to  at  least  one  of  my  present 
difficulties.  If  she  elected  to  go  home  I  must  go 
with  her  and  give  up  the  expedition,  for  I  could 
not  let  her  receive  such  news  when  I  was  not  at 
hand.  Or  I  must  tell  her  at  once,  frankly,  the 
real  object  of  our  quest. 

"But,  Bee,  your  babies  are  well,"  I  hastened  to 
say.  "Let  them  wait  for  an  hour  longer  and 
come  with  us.  Such  a  chance  to  see  the  Indians 
in  the  wilds  does  not  often  fall  in  our  way. 
'T  will  be  so  different  from  going  to  buy  baskets 
in  the  State  House  yard." 

I  could  see  that  Bee  wavered,  but  her  heart  was 
still  drawing  her  to  Denewood.  M.  Victor, 
knowing  the  object  of  this  evasion  of  the  truth, 

34i 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

here  took  her  attention  for  a  moment  by  adding 
his  plea  to  mine,  and  I  seized  the  opportunity  to 
speak  to  Cousin  John. 

"Bring  her  with  us,  Cousin  John.  7T  is  best 
for  her.  I  will  try  to  find  a  chance  to  explain  to 
you,"  was  all  I  could  say. 

But  Cousin  John  was  never  one  who  needed  to 
have  the  "i's"  dotted  to  make  out  your  meaning. 

"Certainly  we  must  go  with  this  adventurous 
party,  Bee,"  he  said,  with  every  appearance  of 
but  a  polite  interest.  "We  would  all  like  to  see 
the  Indians." 

Then  he  drew  her  aside  and  I  heard  him  mur- 
mur :  "Should  Mrs.  Mummer  have  allowed  Peg 
to  set  off  like  this  without  a  female  attendant?" 

To  which  Bee  answered,  shooting  an  anxious 
glance  at  me:  "Oh,  John,  she  's  but  a  child." 

Nonetheless  the  matter  was  settled  and  Bee  set 
about  tucking  up  her  riding-skirt. 

Once  we  were  in  the  woods  it  was  not  a  difficult 
thing  for  me  to  have  speech  with  Cousin  John 
again,  long  enough  to  explain  to  him  that  it  was 
really  Jacky  we  were  in  quest  of. 

He  was  concerned,  of  course,  but  not  deeply 
alarmed,  and  later  on,  when  he  had  had  time  to 

342 


CROSS  PURPOSES 

think  the  matter  over,  he  came  to  me  and  said: 
"Your  plan  is  the  best  to  start  with.  I  am  con- 
fident you  will  get  speech  with  Tiscoquam  and  if 
you  cannot  prevail  upon  him  to  give  you  the  boy 
it  will  be  time  to  decide  what  more  forceful  meas- 
ures to  take." 

Had  I  not  been  so  anxious  that  would  have 
been  a  pleasant  scramble  over  the  rocks  and 
through  the  trees,  with  the  brown  waters  of  the 
Wissahickon  Creek  below  us,  full  to  the  banks 
now  at  the  spring  of  the  year. 

As  it  was,  I  was  glad  when  Bill  gave  the  word 
that  we  were  near  the  place  where  he  had  lost  the 
Indian. 

Bee  was  openly  rebellious  when  she  was  told 
that  I  purposed  going  on  alone. 

"I  thought  we  were  all  to  see  the  Indians,"  she 
complained.  "Moreover,  I  do  not  hold  it  safe 
for  Peg  to  go  alone.  I  shall  go  with  her." 

"Remember,  dear,  that  Peg's  ring  gives  her 
some  sort  of  influence  over  this  savage  which  we 
have  not,"  Cousin  John  replied.  "  'T  is  most 
like  that,  if  you  go  too,  they  will  but  steal  away 
deeper  into  the  woods  and  we  shall  catch  no 
glimpse  of  them.  Let  her  go  first.  I  will  bor- 

343 


PEG  0'  THE  RING 

row  his  moccasins  from  Bill,  and  will  keep  so 
close  behind  that  no  danger  can  come  to  her." 

"I  suppose  there  will  be  no  real  danger,"  Bee 
conceded,  "but  I  would  never  let  her  go  were  it 
not  for  this  poor  child.  I  cannot  forget  how  I 
felt  when  I  thought  that  one  of  my  own  was  at 
the  mercy  of  the  cruel  savages." 

"Nonsense !  Nonsense !"  laughed  Cousin  John, 
a  little  ill  at  ease.  "Tiscoquam  was  so  'cruel'  to 
your  son  that  he  has  been  teasing  to  go  back 
to  him  ever  since.  Nonetheless  I  agree  with  you 
that  no  Christian  child  can  be  left  to  grow  up 
among  the  savages,  so  do  not  try  to  stay  Peg  from 
her  errand  of  mercy." 

There  was  some  further  argument,  but  Bee 
was  in  a  measure  reconciled  by  Cousin  John's 
plan,  so  M.  Victor  gave  me  the  ring  and  I  set  off. 

Following  Bill's  instructions  I  started  north 
and  bore  up  the  hill,  a  little  away  from  the  creek. 
After  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  so  I  came  to  the 
thicket  of  laurels  and  thought  it  time  to  try  to 
attract  the  attention  of  the  Indians,  if,  as  we  sup- 
posed, they  were  in  hiding  somewhere  there- 
abouts. So  I  lifted  my  voice  and  called  "Tisco- 
quam !  Tiscoquam ! "  at  the  top  of  my  lungs. 

344 


CROSS  PURPOSES 

It  was  a  curious  sensation,  for  I  knew  not  even 
from  which  direction  I  might  expect  an  answer 
if  one  were  to  come;  indeed,  now  that  I  stood 
there  alone  in  the  silent  forest  it  seemed  a  most 
hopeless  undertaking.  Again  and  yet  again  I 
called,  walking  about,  first  in  one  direction  and 
then  in  another,  and  I  was  beginning  to  feel  dis- 
couraged when  suddenly,  ahead  of  me  in  the  tan- 
gled undergrowth,  I  caught  a  flash  of  moving 
color. 

It  was  gone  as  quickly  as  it  had  come  and  I 
stood  staring,  wondering  if  I  had  but  glimpsed 
a  butterfly. 

Once  more  I  called  "Tiscoquam !"  looking 
sharply  at  the  spot  where  I  had  seen  the  glint  of 
color,  and  once  more  I  distinguished  a  movement 
of  something  among  the  trees.  Then,  quite 
clearly,  though  but  for  an  instant,  the  figure  of  a 
squaw  showed  in  a  small  patch  of  sunlight  in  the 
midst  of  the  thicket. 

Instantly  I  ran  toward  the  place  and,  arriving 
there,  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  figure  once  more, 
still  beyond  me;  and  so  for  perhaps  an  hundred 
or  two  hundred  yards  I  hurried  on,  following  the 
flitting  shape  of  this  Indian  woman  who  would 

345 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

appear  and  disappear  always  just  a  little  way 
ahead. 

Many  times  I  called  out  as  I  ran,  hoping  to  re- 
assure her  and  perhaps  induce  her  to  stop;  but 
she  still  kept  well  ahead,  though  I  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  following  her. 

Suddenly,  however,  and  most  unexpectedly,  I 
ran  out  of  the  laurels  into  a  straight  wall  of  rock, 
and  looked  right  and  left  for  a  sight  of  my  flee- 
ing guide.  Unless  she  had  doubled  back  on  her 
own  tracks  there  was  no  place  of  concealment, 
for  on  each  side  of  me  was  the  bare  rock  with  a 
few  evergreen  trees  growing  close  to  it;  but 
naught  to  afford  a  hiding  place.  Had  the  squaw 
turned,  I  was  so  close  upon  her  heels  that  I  felt 
sure  I  must  have  detected  her,  and  yet  what  else 
could  she  have  done  to  disappear  so  completely. 
She  would  have  had  need  to  fly  to  scale  that  wall 
of  rock,  whose  bare  sides  offered  no  foothold  and 
whose  top  was  a  good  thirty  feet  above  my  head. 

My  first  thought  was  to  seek  a  way  around  this 
barrier,  but  as  I  looked  I  saw  that  this  would 
waste  my  time,  for  it  continued  for  fifty  perch 
on  either  side  of  me,  and  I  was  certain  the  Indian 
woman  went  not  that  way.  Either  she  had  scaled 

346 


CROSS  PURPOSES 

the  rock  or  had  turned  back,  and  remembering 
Bill's  talk  of  a  hiding  place  I  was  rather  inclined 
to  the  former  view. 

I  pulled  up  a  small  plant  to  mark  my  starting- 
point,  then  went  to  the  right,  searching  the  face 
of  the  cliff  carefully  for  crevices  that  would  af- 
ford a  foothold.  While  I  was  doing  this  I  came 
upon  two  evergreens  so  close  together  that  I  was 
obliged  to  go  around  them,  and,  looking  up,  I  dis- 
covered that  their  branches  overhung  the  top  of 
the  cliff.  In  an  instant  I  realized  that  here  was 
a  natural  ladder  that  might  be  mounted  with  no 
great  effort,  and  in  a  moment  I  had  grasped  a 
lower  limb  and  started  up. 

I  was  not  so  old  that  I  had  lost  the  knack  of 
scrambling  up  a  tree,  and  though  I  was  hampered 
somewhat  by  my  petticoats,  I  climbed  quickly, 
and  soon  swung  myself  upon  the  top  of  the 
ledge. 

As  I  loosed  my  hold  of  the  tree  and  turned  I 
caught  sight  of  a  figure  ere  it  disappeared  around 
a  jutting  boulder  not  far  from  where  I  stood,  and 
knew  that  I  was  upon  the  right  track. 

In  a  moment  I  was  following,  and  as  I  rounded 
the  point  where  I  had  seen  the  squaw  vanish  I 

347 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

stopped  suddenly,  for  there  before  me  sat  Tisco- 
quam  and  his  band,  in  front  of  a  large  cave  the 
entrance  to  which  was  shut  off  by  a  curtain  made 
of  skins. 

They  looked  at  me  in  silence,  showing  no  trace 
upon  their  features  of  surprise,  nor  did  they  make 
a  sign  of  welcome  or  the  reverse,  but  sat  stolidly, 
evidently  awaiting  my  first  words. 

But  I  was  far  from  feeling  as  indifferent.  I 
was  elated  at  my  success  in  tracking  them  to  their 
hiding-place  and  confident  that  I  should  obtain 
little  Jack  without  further  delay. 

"I  have  found  you,  Tiscoquam!"  I  burst  out, 
addressing  the  warrior  seated  in  the  center  of  the 
half-circle. 

"The  pale-face  maiden  could  not  have  found 
Tiscoquam,"  he  answered  in  a  deep  voice,  "had 
Tiscoquam  willed  otherwise.  Tiscoquam  heard, 
and  sent  the  squaw  as  guide.  What  message  is 
there  for  Tiscoquam  ?" 

For  an  instant  I  felt  a  little  chagrined  to  think 
I  had  not  been  so  clever  as  I  had  supposed,  and 
that  instead  of  following  I  had  been  led.  Yet 
that  was  a  matter  of  no  moment. 

"I  have  brought  the  mystic  sign,  Tiscoquam, 
348 


CROSS  PURPOSES 

and  am  come  for  the  boy,"  I  answered,  holding 
up  the  ring. 

I  expected  the  brave  to  stretch  out  his  hand 
for  it,  but  he  seemed  unimpressed  and  sat  stolidly 
as  if  waiting  for  me. 

"What  more  is  it  you  want  ?"  I  asked  at  length. 

"Tiscoquarn  waits  the  sign,"  he  answered,  and 
then  I  realized  that  it  was  the  imprint  he  wished 
to  see. 

"Give  me  some  paint  and  I  will  make  the  sign," 
I  said,  and  at  a  word  from  their  leader,  one  of 
the  squaws  went  inside  the  cave  and  presently 
came  forth  with  a  gourd  filled  with  a  red  paint 
mixed  after  the  Indian  manner. 

Seeing  a  quiver  made  of  white  birch  bark  lying 
near  the  warrior,  I  dipped  the  cut  stone  in  the 
red  fluid  and  made  the  seal  upon  the  parchment- 
like  surface,  while  all  the  Indians,  leaning  for- 
ward, watched  me  with  intense  interest.  As  I 
straightened  up  they  gazed  at  the  mark  and  I 
could  hear  their  deep  breathing  as  if  it  told  them 
something  I  could  not  guess. 

"It  is  the  sign," ,  murmured  Tiscoquam,  his 
voice  rumbling  like  distant  thunder.  "The  pale- 
face maiden  shall  have  the  child." 

349 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

Again  he  gave  an  order  and  I  stood  almost 
quivering  with  excitement,  ready  to  take  little 
Jacky  into  my  arms.  The  moment  I  had  been 
longing  for  had  come  after  hours  of  anxiety,  and 
I  was  half-way  between  laughing  and  crying  as 
the  skin  curtain  was  drawn  back  and  the  squaw 
came  forth  leading  a  little  boy. 

It  was  not  Jacky,  but  a  stranger  whom  I  had 
never  seen  before. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

A   RING   WITH    A    RESON 

SCARCE  believing  my  eyes  I  looked  at  the  boy 
before  me.  He  was  a  slender,  delicate  lad, 
and  had  his  hair  and  eyes  not  been  light  I  should 
have  said  he  was  an  Indian.  He  was  clad  in  a 
well-worn  suit  of  skins,  fringed  and  beaded,  like 
the  savages  about  him,  and  he  had  the  timid  look 
of  a  frightened  animal. 

But  though  I  saw  at  once  that  he  was  a  white 
child  he  was  not  Jacky,  and  my  first  feeling  of 
surprise  gave  place  to  resentment. 

"Tiscoquam!"  I  cried  angrily,  "do  not  think  to 
trick  me !  This  is  not  the  boy." 

The  savage  showed  something  of  astonishment 
at  my  words,  then  he  rose  to  his  feet  and  taking 
the  lad  by  the  shoulder  led  him  up  to  me. 

"Look,"  he  grunted,  drawing  back  the  sleeves 
of  the  child's  deer-skin  jacket  and  showing  me, 
tattooed  on  each  forearm,  a  device  like  that  cut 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

into  the  stone  of  my  ring.  "Look  again,"  Tisco- 
quam  commanded  and  pointed  to  the  same  mark 
upon  the  boy's  neck  between  the  shoulders.  "It 
is  the  sign,"  he  went  on.  "Tiscoquam  is  not  two- 
faced.  He  speaks  not  with  the  forked  tongue. 
It  is  the  boy !" 

It  took  me  but  a  moment  to  realize  the  situa- 
tion. I,  who  had  been  looking  for  little  Jacky, 
had  found  the  long-lost  cousin  of  M.  Victor,  the 
little  Marquis  de  Soulange-Caderousse.  Tisco- 
quam and  I  had  been  at  cross-purposes ;  for  while 
I  had  thought  of  Jacky,  he  had  spoken  of  this 
child  and  had  made  no  agreement  to  give  me  back 
the  one  I  sought. 

Under  other  circumstances  I  would  have  re- 
joiced that  M.  Victor's  quest  was  at  an  end,  but 
I  could  find  no  joy  in  my  heart  now  and  thought 
only  of  how  I  might  still  recover  Jacky.  I  was 
hard  put  to  it  not  to  cry,  but  I  held  back  my  tears 
and  struggled  to  maintain  a  brave  front.  It 
would  never  do  for  me  to  break  down  and  forfeit 
the  respect  of  this  warrior,  in  whose  hands  still 
lay  the  fate  of  one  for  whom  I  would  gladly  have 
bartered  my  own  freedom. 

Instead,  I  must  match  my  wits  against  the  In- 
352 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

dian's  and  see  if  I  could  not  induce  him  to  give 
Jacky  up. 

"Tiscoquam,"  I  said,  as  steadily  as  I  could,  "I 
see  that  this  is  indeed  the  boy  of  whom  you  spoke. 
We  owe  you  much  for  his  safe  return,  which  we 
will  gladly  repay  both  with  friendship  and  with 
gifts,  if  you  will  have  it  so.  Will  you  tell  me 
how  long  he  has  dwelt  among  your  tribe  and  how 
he  came  into  your  hands,  so  that  I  may  pass  the 
story  on  to  his  people,  who  are  great  in  their  own 
land?" 

The  savage  squatted  again  upon  the  ground 
and  setting  my  back  against  the  rock  I  awaited 
his  pleasure. 

"Six  snows  ago,"  he  began,  "when  our  hunters 
returned  to  the  villages  far  to  the  North,  they 
brought  with  them  a  man  and  a  papoose.  The 
man  we  would  have  beaten,  but  he  showed  us  the 
magic  sign  and  the  marks  upon  the  papoose's 
body.  At  this  we  marveled.  But  the  man  told 
us  this  child  was  the  son  of  the  French  King,  who 
was  a  mighty  warrior,  not  like  the  King  of  the 
Yengees  whose  own  people  defeated  him  in  bat- 
tles. This  great  King  had  sent  his  son  secretly 
to  the  Iroquois  to  show  his  love  for  them;  and 

353 


PEG  O'  JHE  RING 

with  him  the  magic  sign,  so  that  all  men  might 
know  when  the  appointed  time  had  come.  The 
sign  was  the  sign  of  might  and  power.  The  Iro- 
quois  bowed  to  it,  having  their  own  purposes  to 
serve." 

He  paused  a  moment,  looking  straight  before 
him  as  if  perchance  he  saw  a  vision,  and  I  held 
my  peace,  conscious  that  his  words  had  much  of 
seriousness  for  the  rest  of  his  audience,  though 
they  sounded  fantastic  enough  to  my  ears. 

"In  time  this  man  left  our  village,"  Tiscoquam 
went  on.  "He  departed  secretly  by  night,  taking 
with  him  the  magic  sign.  This  did  not  please 
the  Senecas,  and  we  followed  swiftly  to  see  if  he 
had  given  us  straight  talk,  and  to  note  his  doings. 
At  the  first  white  settlement  he  made  himself 
simple  with  fire-water  and  boasted  that  he  had 
tricked  the  Iroquois,  vowing  that  the  boy  was 
not  the  son  of  the  French  King,  but  the  child  of 
his  own  sister.  When  that  news  reached  to  our 
lodges  we  would  have  let  the  boy  die  but  for  the 
mark.  That  saved  him." 

"Why  did  you  fear  it,  Tiscoquam?"  I  asked, 
seeing  naught  in  a  figure  of  Cupid  to  so  impress 
a  savage. 

354 


''I  leaned  forward  to  do  his  bidding" 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

"Tiscoquam  has  no  fear,"  he  answered  proudly, 
"but  though  the  fool  who  brought  the  man-child 
spoke  ever  with  a  forked  tongue,  the  mark  is 
magic.  Never  was  any  other  child  so  born  into 
the  world." 

I  could  scarce  conceal  a  start  as  I  realized  that 
the  Indian  had  imagined  the  tattooing  on  the  little 
boy  to  be  the  work  of  nature ;  but  Tiscoquam  was 
still  speaking  and  his  next  words  showed  that 
the  mind  of  the  child  and  the  mind  of  a  savage 
have  much  in  common,  for  what  the  Iroquois 
had  thought  of  the  mark  I  too  had  thought  when 
I  was  little. 

"It  is  a  sign  for  the  Mengive,  else  had  it  not 
been  an  Indian  with  a  bow,"  Tiscoquam  went  on. 
"There  have  been  many  who  have  tried  to  read 
the  portent,  but  what  it  means  our  wisest  medi- 
cine men  have  not  been  able  to  make  plain.  Yet 
he  who  has  the  sign  must  have  the  child ;  so,  for 
many  moons,  we  have  kept  him  till  you  showed 
the  magic  mark.  Now  the  boy  is  restored  to 
you." 

He  ended  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  toward  the 
young  marquis,  squatting  like  any  Indian  at  our 
feet. 

357 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"And  what  of  the  Eaglet,  Tiscoquam  ?"  I  asked 
after  a  pause. 

"There  was  no  bargain  about  the  Eaglet,"  he 
answered.  "The  pale-face  maiden  knows  what 
is  in  the  heart  of  Tiscoquam.  She  knows  that 
the  Eaglet  must  come  to  his  people  and  grow 
strong  to  lead  the  Iroquois  to  victory."  His 
voice  boomed  and  echoed  among  the  rocks  as  he 
ceased  to  speak. 

"But  if  I  can  read  to  you  this  riddle  of  the 
magic  sign,  Tiscoquam?"  I  answered.  "If  that 
sign  has  another  meaning  for  you  and  for  the 
Eaglet  and  for  the  great  nation  of  the  Iroquois, 
will  you  promise  not  to  hold  him?" 

"Tiscoquam  is  not  to  be  tricked  by  words,"  he 
answered. 

"See  then,  Tiscoquam,"  I  went  on,  putting  as 
much  of  earnestness  into  my  tone  as  I  could;  "the 
pale-face  maiden  asks  no  promise,  but  hear  and 
judge.  You  wish  to  make  of  the  Eaglet  a  leader 
of  your  people.  That  is  well !  But  why  was  not 
the  little  boy  with  the  three  marks  upon  his  body 
made  your  chief  ?" 

Tiscoquam  grunted  in  derision. 

"The  name  we  gave  him  is  Timid-Fawn,  a 
358 


squaw's  name,"  he  answered,  and  by  that  I  saw 
that  if  the  thought  of  making  the  boy  a  chief  had 
ever  entered  the  Indian's  mind,  the  lad's  own  dis- 
position had  put  an  end  to  it. 

"Nevertheless,  Tiscoquam,  bravery  is  not  all 
that  is  needed,"  I  said.  "There  are  no  braver 
men  than  the  Senecas  themselves.  More  is  re- 
quired than  courage,  as  the  three  marks  upon  the 
child  proclaim/' 

"What  of  the  marks  ?"  he  asked,  displaying  an 
interest  that  must  have  been  intense,  else  had  he 
shown  naught  of  his  feelings. 

"The  first  is  upon  the  left  hand,  Tiscoquam,"  I 
told  him,  "and  that  is  a  sign  for  this  child  him- 
self, who  uses  that  hand  before  the  other." 

I  had  noted  this  fact  when  the  lad  had  come 
up  to  me,  and  Tiscoquam  grunted  in  acquiescence. 

"This  boy  is  in  truth  French,  although  he  is 
not  the  son  of  their  king,"  I  continued,  scarce 
knowing,  now  that  I  had  begun,  where  I  should 
end  my  explanation.  "He  must  be  returned  to 
his  people  to  make  them  friends  with  the  Iro- 
quois  and  so  be  as  useful  to  them  both  as  is  the 
left  hand  to  the  body." 

For  a  moment  I  paused. 
359 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"The  right  hand  stands  for  the  Eaglet.  It  is 
he  who  must  unite  the  Iroquois  and  make  them 
once  again  a  strong  nation  and  brothers  to  the 
pale-faces  in  this  land,  even  as  the  right  hand 
holds  firmly  the  hand  of  a  friend." 

"Then  should  the  Iroquois  keep  him  safe,"  Tis- 
coquam  murmured,  with  slow  and  satisfied  up 
and  down  nods  of  his  head. 

"Nay,  wait  till  I  have  finished,"  I  continued, 
holding  up  my  hand  for  silence.  "The  Iroquois 
nation  is  as  the  body  marked  by  the  sign,  but  the 
head  is  the  great  American  nation  and  it  is  the 
head  which  bears  no  mark.  So  is  it  without  a 
master,  and  the  spirit  of  the  sign  has  no  power 
over  it.  Of  what  use,  Tiscoquam,  are  the  hands 
and  the  body  if  they  are  not  guided  by  the  head  ? 
Is  it  not  plain  that  the  Eaglet  must  stay  with  his 
pale-faced  people  to  learn  those  things  which 
make  them  mighty  ?  Are  the  pale-faces  stronger 
than  the  Iroquois?  No!  Are  they  braver  than 
the  Iroquois  ?  No !  But  in  the  head  of  the  pale- 
face is  more  wisdom  than  in  the  head  of  the  Iro- 
quois. It  is  because  they  know  things  that  the 
Iroquois  have  not  yet  learned  that  they  conquer. 
How  then,  Tiscoquam,  will  the  Eaglet  learn  the 

360 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

things  they  know  not  if  he  stays  with  his  red 
brothers  ?  He  will  be  no  more  than  many  brave 
men  of  the  Six  Nations.  What  can  Tiscoquam 
teach  him  to  arm  him  with  power  that  will  stay 
the  dwindling  of  your  hunting-grounds  as  the 
years  go  by  ?  He  must  have  the  wisdom  of  both 
red  men  and  white,  and  it  will  be  the  Indian's 
loss  if  they  rob  him  of  his  birthright.  Remem- 
ber the  magic  sign  on  the  other  child  speaks  not 
of  one  but  of  two  boys,  so  both  must  come  with 
me." 

I  paused,  not  knowing  what  more  to  say,  and 
looked  at  Tiscoquam  anxiously,  hoping  for  some 
hint  that  I  had  impressed  him,  but  his  stolid  coun- 
tenance showed  naught  that  I  could  read. 

"Go!"  he  cried  suddenly,  and  taking  up  his 
blanket  he  covered  his  face. 

I  gazed  at  the  formless,  huddled  figure,  trying 
to  hit  upon  some  way  to  move  the  man,  but  I  had 
already  done  my  best.  Cousin  John  must  now 
act. 

There  was  naught  left  for  me  to  do  but  to  go 
as  the  rude  savage  commanded.  I  had  failed  in 
my  mission  and  now  must  return  to  break  the 
news  that  could  no  longer  be  kept  from  Bee. 

361 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

With  a  heavy  heart  I  took  the  little  French 
boy's  hand  and  together  we  went  by  the  path  a-top 
the  ledge  of  rock,  the  Indians  paying  no  more 
heed  to  us  than  they  did  to  the  birds. 

When  we  came  to  the  tree  up  which  I  had 
clambered  I  hesitated,  for  going  down  seemed  a 
much  more  perilous  undertaking,  but  the  boy, 
quick  to  note  my  timidity,  gave  me  an  encourag- 
ing smile  and  pointed  out  an  easier  manner  to 
descend,  leading  the  way  like  a  squirrel. 

I  had  no  mind  to  hurry  my  return,  being  busy 
with  the  sad  news  I  must  tell,  but  we  came  upon 
the  grassy  glade  where  I  had  left  our  little  party 
all  too  quickly. 

I  paused  at  the  edge  of  the  trees,  dreading  to 
go  on.  There  was  dear  Bee  plucking  flowers,  all 
unconscious  of  the  pain  in  store  for  her,  while  M. 
Victor  chatted  gaily  in  his  funny,  clipped  Eng- 
lish. Cousin  John  and  Bill  Schmuck  I  saw  not, 
and  wondered  if  they  still  followed  me. 

The  two  had  their  backs  to  me,  and  I  went  to- 
ward them  slowly  without  their  being  aware  of 
our  presence.  Then  a  snapping  twig  drew  their 
attention  to  us. 

Bee  looked  up  at  me  with  a  loving  smile  upon 
362 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

her  lips,  and  as  her  eye  caught  sight  of  the  boy 
at  my  side  she  broke  into  a  happy  laugh. 

"Ha!  Ha!  Peggy  has  found  the  boy!"  she 
cried,  but  M.  Victor,  knowing  that  this  child  was 
not  the  one  I  had  been  seeking,  gazed  at  me  with 
much  concern. 

"Mademoiselle,"  he  began  solicitously,  but  I 
checked  him  with  a  gesture. 

'T  is  the  little  Marquis  de  Soulange-Cade- 
rousse,"  I  announced,  holding  out  the  lad's  hand 
to  him. 

"The  little  marquis!"  he  repeated  in  amaze- 
ment. "C'est  impossible." 

"It  is  indeed  he,  monsieur,"  I  insisted,  and  pull- 
ing up  the  sleeve  of  the  skin  jacket  I  showed  the 
mark  upon  the  right  arm. 

M.  Victor  examined  the  tattooed  device  for  an 
instant  in  amazement,  then  with  quick  movements 
he  sought  and  found  the  other  signs. 

"Mademoiselle,"  he  said  feelingly,  "you  have 
indeed  brought  to  me  him  who  I  have  hunt'  for 
so  long.  I  shall  ever  be  in  your  debt ;  but,  made- 
moiselle— " 

He  stopped,  seeing  the  anxiety  in  my  face  as  I 
turned  my  eyes  to  Bee. 

363 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"What  is  it,  Peggy  dear  ?"  she  exclaimed,  com- 
ing quickly  to  me.  "What  has  happened?" 

The  moment  I  had  been  dreading  had  come. 

"Oh,  Bee,"  I  began,  putting  my  arms  around 
her  neck,  but  ere  another  word  was  spoken  there 
came  an  interruption. 

"Tiscoquam  brings  greeting  to  the  pale  faces !" 
boomed  the  voice  of  the  chief,  and  we  turned  to 
find  the  entire  band  standing  stiffly  in  a  group  at 
the  edge  of  the  forest.  How  they  had  arrived 
without  our  hearing  them  astonished  us  all.  It 
was  like  magic,  for  they  had  appeared  as  silently 
as  if  they  had  sprung  up  from  the  ground. 

"Tiscoquam  has  come  to  pow-wow  with  the 
young  Eagle,"  the  tall  brave  went  on  after  a  mo- 
ment, addressing  no  one  in  particular.  For  an 
instant  we  stood  regarding  him,  then  our  at- 
tention was  caught  by  the  sound  of  some  one 
crashing  through  the  woods  and  Cousin  John 
burst  into  the  circle,  followed  by  Bill  Schmuck. 

"Now  have  I  been  tricked,"  he  cried,  striding 
up  to  Tiscoquam.  "Where  have  you  taken  her?" 

"Let  not  my  brother  be  hasty,"  answered  Tis- 
coquam. "The  pale-face  maid  is  safe,  and  be- 
tween brothers  there  should  be  no  hot  words." 

364 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

"I  'm  here,  Cousin  John,"  -I  called,  going  to- 
ward him. 

"But  where  is  the  boy?"  he  demanded,  his  eye 
passing  over  the  lad  at  M.  Victor's  side. 

"Do  you  not  see  him  ?"  cried  Bee.  "Where  are 
your  eyes?" 

"It  is  the  other  boy  I  want,  Tiscoquam,"  said 
Cousin  John,  turning  on  the  Indian.  "Where  is 
he  ?  for  I  mean  to  have  him  ere  we  part." 

Tiscoquam  gave  him  glance  for  glance,  and  for 
an  instant  the  two  stood  eying  each  other  sternly. 

"Tiscoquam  does  not  speak  with  the  forked 
tongue,"  the  Indian  declared  proudly.  "He  told 
the  pale-face  maiden  that  the  Eaglet  was  with  his 
own  people." 

With  a  gesture  he  now  indicated  the  group  of 
whites  who  upon  his  advent  had  drawn  somewhat 
together. 

Then,  as  Cousin  John  would  have  interrupted 
violently,  he  held  up  a  warning  hand. 

"To-day  Tiscoquam  has  come  to  understand- 
ing. He  has  listened  to  a  young  maiden  speak- 
ing words  of  wisdom  like  a  chief  grown  old  in  the 
councils.  From  her  he  has  learned  that  the 
greatest  strength  is  not  that  of  the  thews  and  sin- 

365 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

ews.  For  the  strength  of  the  pale  face  is  in  his 
wisdom  and  it  is  by  means  of  it  this  maid  has  con- 
quered Tiscoquam.  The  Eaglet  is  hers.  'T  is 
from  her  you  must  ask  him." 

"The  Eaglet — "  said  Bee,  clasping  her  hands 
nervously,  "the  Eaglet — is  not  that  my  Jacky?" 

"Tiscoquam,"  I  cried,  unable  to  bear  the  blow 
he  was  making  me  inflict  on  the  one  I  loved  most 
dearly,  "if  the  boy  is  mine  't  is  you  who  must  give 
him  to  me,  for  I  know  not  where  he  is." 

At  this  appeal  a  shade  of  satisfaction  seemed  to 
creep  over  the  warrior's  face. 

"The  Indian  too  has  a  wisdom  of  his  own  that 
is  not  altogether  to  be  despised,"  he  said.  "The 
Eaglet  is  on  his  way  here  even  now,  oh,  pale-face 
maiden  with  the  spirit  of  a  warrior." 

As  he  spoke  he  pointed  down  stream,  and  we 
waited  a  long  moment  seeing  nothing.  Then, 
coming  toward  us,  we  made  out  Mark  Powell, 
accompanied  by  Jacky,  and  led  by  an  Indian  whom 
Tiscoquam  had  evidently  despatched  to  meet 
them  some  time  before. 

The  boy,  on  catching  sight  of  the  party,  broke 
into  a  run  and  bursting  in  upon  us,  threw  himself 
upon  me. 

366 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

"I  am  not  a  bad  boy,  Aunty  Peg,"  he  pro- 
tested aggrievedly.  "Mrs.  Mummer  said,  'spare 
the  rod,'  and  sent  us  forth  to  find  you,  but  I  am 
not  naughty.  My  Dada  told  me  to  take  care  al- 
ways of  my  mover  and  sister ;  so,  when  Clarinda 
runned  away,  I  did  not  want  Marjory  to  be 
frighted  too,  and  ran  to  tell  her  Tiscoquam  was  a 
good  Indian." 

"And  have  you  been  at  home  all  this  morn- 
ing?" I  asked,  kneeling  and  putting  my  arms 
about  him. 

"Yes,"  he  answered  quite  gravely,  "in  the  sum- 
mer-house with  Marjory  and  Sally  and  Easter. 
They  're  but  women  and  Dada  says  a  man — " 
Here  he  broke  off,  looking  up  and  seeing  his 
mother  for  the  first  time.  With  a  cry  of  sur- 
prised delight  he  ran  to  her,  and  she  drew  him 
close. 

"Oh,  Peggy,"  she  murmured,  "you  thought  he 
was  lost,  too,"  and  in  her  face  I  seemed  to  see  the 
surprise,  the  knowledge,  the  pain  and  the  relief 
that  swept  over  her  by  turns. 

"And  now,  young  Eagle,"  said  Tiscoquam,  his 
voice  echoing  through  the  forest  as  he  lifted  his 
eyes  from  the  sight  of  Bee  clasping  her  boy  in 

367 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

her  arms,  "Tiscoquam  has  words  for  your  ear, 
ere  he  turns  his  face  toward  his  own  hunting- 
ground."  He  hesitated  for  a  moment  as  if  to 
choose  his  language  with  due  care,  then  went  on, 
"Tiscoquam  planned  to  make  the  Eaglet  a  great 
Sachem  after  his  own  fashion  and  the  fashion  of 
his  people,  but  that  is  not  to  be.  The  pale-face 
maiden  has  shown  that  more  is  needed  than  Tis- 
coquam can  give;  yet  that  has  not  changed  the 
heart  of  the  Mengive.  Still  is  the  Eaglet  dear  to 
Tiscoquam.  Still  will  he  and  his  people  teach  the 
Eaglet  all  they  know  when  the  young  Eagle  says 
the  time  is  ripe.  And  there  is  something  they 
can  teach,  as  was  shown  but  now !" 

He  turned  as  if  he  had  said  all  and  would  go. 

Cousin  John  made  a  gesture  to  stay  him,  but 
at  that  moment  little  Jacky  extricated  himself 
from  his  mother's  arms  and  flung  himself  upon 
the  Seneca. 

"Oh,  Mover!"  he  cried,  "here  is  my  friend. 
He  is  such  a  nice  Indian!" 

The  effect  was  magical. 

Tiscoquam  took  the  boy  up  and  set  him  upon 
his  shoulder. 

368 


"Coming  towards  us,  we  made  out  Mark  Powell,  accompanied  by  Jacky" 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

"Ho!"  he  said.  "  T  is  thus  Tiscoquam  and 
the  Eaglet  will  go  together  to  hunt  the  deer." 

Jacky  shouted  with  delight  at  this  promise,  and 
his  father  went  up  to  Tiscoquam  and  held  out  his 
hand. 

"Brother,"  he  said,  "the  woods  of  Denewood 
are  yours.  Whenever  you  camp  there  the  Eaglet 
will  welcome  you.  You  shall  teach  him  all  the 
lore  of  the  forest,  and  if  you  will  have  me  of  your 
party  we  will  all  three  hunt  the  deer  together." 

It  was  handsomely  done  and  the  Indian  was 
quick  to  sense  that  all  mistrust  of  him  had  melted 
away. 

"Good!"  he  ejaculated,  standing  very  straight 
and  looking  proudly  at  Cousin  John.  "Good! 
If  all  the  pale-face  peoples  were  as  the  young 
Eagle  then  indeed  might  the  Iroquois  cease  to  be 
a  nation  and  become  the  brothers  of  their  con- 
querors." 

The  whole  band  escorted  us  back  to  our  horses 
with  right  good  will  on  both  sides;  but  even  so, 
I  could  scarce  believe  my  ears  when  I  heard  Bee 
say  to  Cousin  John : 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

"When  Tiscoquam  comes  to  take  Jacky  hunting 
I  don't  see  why  you  should  trouble  to  go  with 
them,  Jack  dear." 

Her  husband,  as  surprised  as  I,  exclaimed : 

"I  but  made  the  offer  to  relieve  your  mind." 

"Oh,"  returned  Bee,  as  if  the  idea  of  alarm  on 
Jacky's  account  were  quite  out  of  the  question, 
"I  can  trust  him  anywhere  with  Tiscoquam. 
Can't  you  see  he  loves  the  boy?" 

I  chuckled  a  little  at  this,  and  M.  le  Vicomte, 
who  rode  beside  me  with  the  young  marquis  on 
his  saddle-bow,  was  also  interested. 

"Is  it  that  you  think  the  savage  is  not  to  be 
trus'?"  he  asked  me. 

"Nay,"  I  replied,  "he  will  guard  the  boy  with 
his  life.  I  but  wondered  what  Mrs.  Mummer 
would  think  of  the  arrangement." 

"Ha !  ha !"  exclaimed  M.  Victor.  "Now  I,  too, 
see  the  joke." 

"And  now  your  quest  is  over,"  I  said,  indicat- 
ing the  silent  boy  in  front  of  him,  "you  will  go 
home,  taking  health  and  happiness  to  your  father. 
He  will  be  very  proud  of  your  success." 

"Ah,  mademoiselle,"  he  laughed,  "now  you 
make  f  on  of  a  poor  Frenchman.  'T  is  you  who 

372 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

have  found  the  lost  marquis  and — "  he  went  on 
more  soberly,  "it  will  be  most  difficult  that  I  ex- 
press my  thanks  to  you  in  my  clumsy  English." 

"Nay,  do  not  think  of  that,  monsieur,"  I  has- 
tened to  interrupt ;  "remember  you  saved  me  from 
that  beating."  Then,  to  change  the  subject,  for  I 
wanted  not  that  he  should  embarrass  me  with  his 
gratitude,  "Here  is  your  ring  again,"  I  said, 
stripping  it  off  my  finger  and  handing  it  to  him, 
not,  I  confess,  without  a  pang  of  regret  at  parting 
with  it. 

He  looked  at  it  thoughtfully  for  a  moment  ere 
he  spoke. 

"There  are  those  who  say  it  is  the  work  of 
Benvenuto  Cellini,"  he  remarked,  "the  great 
goldsmith,  you  know.  But,  now  that  I  see  it,  I 
am  not  of  that  opinion.  This  is  rougher,  bolder 
work  and  lack'  his  delicate  invention.  No,  it  is 
not  Cellini —  Nor,  can  I  feel  that  the  ring  be- 
longs to  me." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  I  asked  him.  "Did  you 
not  say  your  cousin  had  left  it  to  you  ?" 

"He  did.  He  did,"  M.  Victor  answered,  "but 
I  have  not  earn'  it.  But  for  you,  who  knows  if  I 
ever  would  have  foun'  this  little  fellow  here?" 

373 


PEG  O'  THE  RING 

And  his  arm  tightened  about  the  slight  figure  in 
front  of  him,  while  the  lad  looked  up  with  a  smile, 
glad  to  have  fallen  among  friends  at  last. 

"But  you  would  have  found  him,  monsieur,"  I 
said,  positively.  "You  would  never  have  given 
up  until  you  had." 

"I  am  proud  of  your  confidence."  M.  Victor's 
tone  was  very  sincere.  "I  hope  I  may  always  be 
worthy  of  it.  Yet,  mademoiselle,  I  am  going  to 
beg  the  favor  that  you  give  me  not  back  the  ring 
until  I  come  again." 

I  was  too  astonished  to  speak,  but  he  went  on 
quickly : 

"When  I  am  gone  to  France,  where  I  must  go 
at  once,  for  my  father's  sake,  I  should  like  to 
leave  the  ring  with  you,  because  of  the  reson  that 
you  have  not  yet  see'." 

"Oh,  yes,"  I  exclaimed.  "You  said  you  would 
tell  me  about  it." 

"Look  then,  mademoiselle,"  he  replied,  and 
holding  the  ring  toward  me  he  pressed  one  of  the 
bosses  beside  the  great  sapphire  and  the  bezel 
holding  it  sprang  up  like  the  lid  of  a  box.  Then 
he  handed  it  to  me,  open. 

374 


A  RING  WITH  A  RESON 

"Read,  mademoiselle,"  he  begged.  "It  is  old 
French.  Can  you  onderstan'  it?" 

Inside,  under  the  cut  stone,  I  saw  a  line  of 
Gothic  characters,  small  but  very  clearly  en- 
graved, and  I  read  them  half-aloud.  "Je  sin  '1C*- 
en  li'v  d'ami." 

"I  am  afraid  I  cannot  make  it  out,  monsieur," 
I  said,  for  though  the  words  seemed  familiar 
enough,  they  were  not  quite  right  to  my  thinking, 
and  I  liked  not  to  make  a  mistake. 

"In  English,  mademoiselle,"  he  replied,  "it 
would  read  like  this:  'I  am  here  in  place  of  a 
frien'.'  Will  you  not  hold  the  ring  and  let  the 
reson  remin'  you  of  one  who  will  ever  be  think- 
ing of  you?" 

I  know  not  why  I  should  have  stuttered  as  I 
replied : 

"I  s-s-should  1-like  to  k-keep  it,  monsieur,  if 
B-Bee  s-s-says  I  m-m-may." 

And  so  we  fared  on  to  Denewood." 

THE   END 


375 


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